Dekkers Defeats Second Ranked Opponent, Wildcats Lose to Baylor 4-2

Sunday, March 19

Manhattan, Kan.

12 p.m.

Kansas State University

Baylor

Dekkers Defeats Second Ranked Opponent, Wildcats Lose to Baylor 4-2

Mar 19, 2023 | Tennis

Box Score (.pdf)Photo Gallery

K-State faces TCU next Friday at 2:30 p.m.

MANHATTAN, Kan.- The K-State women's tennis team battled against Baylor on Sunday at the Body First Tennis Center losing 4-2, as sophomore Florentine Dekkers defeated another ranked opponent and junior Aleen Quamar was victorious.

K-State (2-14, 0-4 Big 12) could not keep up with No. 53 Baylor (9-9, 1-3 Big 12) after dropping the doubles point and two singles matches were lost in three sets.

Dekkers defeated No. 92 ranked Isabella Harvison winning the first set in a tie-breaker point 7-6 (9-7) before clinching the point in the second set 7-5 in the No. 1 spot. Dekkers is now 2-0 against ranked opponents in the Big 12 after beating Thasaporn Naklo of Iowa State on March 12.

Quamar faced Daniella Dimitrov clinching the first set 7-6 (7-4) before easing past her opponent in the second set 6-1 in the No. 5 position. She last won a match on March 1 against Eva Kresovic of Kansas City.

Freshman Rozalia Gruszczynska was up the first set 6-3 in the No. 6 spot against Danielle Tuhten but the match was left unfinished 4-3 in the second set. Gruszczynska was on pace to win her first match since downing Kate Miley of Kansas City on March 1.

Freshman Vanesa Suarez battled in the No. 3 position against Anita Sahdiieva but after claiming the second set 6-4 she ultimately lost in three sets, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

Junior Manami Ukita competed against Liubov Kostenko in the No. 4 spot winning the first set 6-4 but dropped the second and third one 6-0, 6-1.

Senior Rosanna Maffei dropped her match in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 against Alina Shcherbinina in the No. 2 position.

Baylor won the doubles point as both K-State teams dropped their match 6-2. Dekkers and Quamar were in the No. 2 spot against Isabelle Harvison and Anita Sahdiieva, Gruszczynska and Maffei against Alina Shcherbinina and Brooke Thompson in the No. 3 position. Suarez and Ukita were tied 4-4 in an unfinished match against Daniella Dimitrov and Paula Baranano.

The Wildcats travel to Texas next week for matches against No. 61 TCU (7-4, 0-2 Big 12) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Friday (March 24) then No. 33 Texas Tech (10-6, 0-2 Big 12) on Sunday (March 26) at 10 a.m. CT.

FROM THE COURT
HEAD COACH JORDAN SMITH
On competing against quality Big 12 teams…
"We're competing much better than I felt like we've had most of the season. That's been a good thing to see, we're getting closer. We're playing a lot of tough teams in the league, I think every team that we're gonna play here on out is going to be nationally ranked. It's going to be a tough task, but the fact that whether it's Iowa State who's 5 in the country, Texas who's top-15 or Baylor today, it was top 50. We're putting in a lot of good effort and we're making it pretty quality performances, we're not getting there yet, still striving for a little more confidence a little more belief."

On the success of individual players…
"Florentine's second ranked win, Vanesa had back to back ranked wins you know, I think that's incredible. Vanesa beat two of the hardest players for Texas and Iowa State back-to-back, came up short today put herself in three quality matches. The fact that number one is a really hard spot and Flo got a second ranked win, that's incredible. What Manami has been doing to kind of lift this team up, that was a tough match, but she's been playing really incredible and that's been really good to see that and Aleen get another win today.

#53 Baylor vs K-State
Manhattan, Kan.
Body First Tennis Center

#53 Baylor 4, K-State 2

Singles Competition
1. Florentine Dekkers (KSU) def. #92 Isabella Harvison (BU) 7-6 (9-7), 7-5
2. Alina Shcherbinina (BU) def. Rosanna Maffei (KSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Anita Sahdiieva (BU) def. Vanesa Suarez (KSU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
4. Liubov Kostenko (BU) def. Manami Ukita (KSU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-1
5. Aleen Quamar (KSU) def. Daniella Dimitrov (BU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
6. Rozalia Gruszczynska (KSU) vs. Danielle Tuhten (BU) 6-3, 4-3, unfinished

Doubles Competition
1. Vanesa Suarez/Manami Ukita (KSU) vs. Daniella Dimitrov/Paula Baranano (BU) 4-4, unfinished
2. Isabella Harvison/Anita Sahdiieva (BU) def. Florentine Dekkers/Aleen Quamar (KSU) 6-2
3. Alina Shcherbinina/Brooke Thompson (BU) def. Rozalia Gruszczynska/Rosanna Maffei (KSU) 6-2

How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.