K-State Falls Short in Match Up with Wichita State

The K-State women's tennis team continued their home stretch on Saturday (Feb. 1), falling short 6-1 against Wichita State at Body First Tennis Center.

In doubles play, all three matches led to high scoring results while the Shockers (2-4) claimed the doubles point over the Wildcats (2-1).

Junior Sana Garakani and sophomore Tereza Polakova competed for the second time together in the spring, the only successful K-State duo, defeating Sati Aubakirova and Anne Knuettel in the no. 3 spot, 6-4.

Senior Veronika Kulhava and junior Maria Santos could not keep the momentum in a tiebreaker battle over Giorgia Roselli and Xin Tong Wang, falling short 6-7 (5-7) in the no. 1 position. Also battling in a tough match, in the no. 2 spot, was sophomores Maralgoo Chogsomjav and Charlotte Keitel against Theodora Chantava and Kristina Kudryavtseva, losing 5-7.

In singles competition, Keitel (no. 1), Polakova (no. 3) and Kulhava (no. 5) started playing in regular sets, before Chogsomjav (no. 2), Santos (no. 4) and Garakani (no. 6) finished out the day in 8-game pro sets.

Garakani claimed the lone singles win for K-State, defeating Knuettel 8-4, her first match since January 18 when she beat Anna Putilina of Kansas 6-2, 7-5.

Keitel competed against her second ranked opponent in the spring, versus #62 Wang, falling short in two sets, 4-6, 3-6.

Polakova encountered a tiebreaker while facing Chantava, coming up short 6-7 (4-7) in the first set and not able to gain momentum in the second, losing 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 in the no. 3 spot. Kulhava battled in a similar scoring first set in her match against Tatyana Nikolenko, down 6-7 (4-7), with a final score of 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

In the other 8-game pro sets, Chogsomjav came up just short versus Roselli in her second ever pro set, 6-8, while Santos also fell short by a couple points, 5-8, to Kudryavtseva.

K-State will end their three-match stretch in Manhattan on Sunday, Feb. 9, facing Kentucky (5-1) at 10 a.m.

FROM THE COURTS
Head Coach Jordan Smith
On the team performance after previously starting the season 2-0…
"We didn't handle playing with a lead or adversity very well today. It's unfortunate that we let one missed opportunity of losing a doubles point shake us as much as it did. This team can do better and it will show for our next match against Kentucky."

Wichita State vs K-State
Body First Tennis Center
Manhattan, Kan.

K-State 1, Wichita State 6

Singles Competition
1. #62 Xin Tong Wang (WSU) def. Charlotte Keitel (KSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Giorgia Roselli (WSU) def. Maralgoo Chogsomjav (KSU) 8-6
3. Theodora Chantava (WSU) def. Tereza Polakova (KSU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
4. Kristina Kudryavtseva (WSU) def. Maria Santos (KSU) 8-5
5. Tatyana Nikolenko (WSU) def. Veronika Kulhava (KSU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
6. Sana Garakani (KSU) def. Anne Knuettel (WSU) 8-4

Doubles Competition
1. Giorgia Roselli/Xin Tong Wang (WSU) def. Veronika Kulhava/Maria Santos (KSU) 7-6 (7-5)
2. Theodora Chantava/Kristina Kudryavtseva (WSU) vs. Maralgoo Chogsomjav/Charlotte Keitel (KSU) 7-5
3. Sana Garakani/Tereza Polakova (KSU) def. Sati Aubakirova/Anne Knuettel (WSU) 6-4

-- k-statesports.com --

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Players Mentioned

Maralgoo Chogsomjav

Sana Garakani

Charlotte Keitel

Veronika Kulhava

Tereza Polakova

Maria Santos