Saturday, February 7
Fayetteville, Ark.
3 p.m.
Kansas State University
4
vs
2
Tulsa
K-State Clinches First Win of Season, 4-2 Over Tulsa
Feb 07, 2026 | Tennis
The Wildcats will compete on Sunday against Arkansas (5-0)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.- The K-State women's tennis team secured the first win of the season on Saturday (February 7) with a 4-2 decision over Tulsa at Billingsley Tennis Center. The series is tied at 2-2, the Wildcats first win over the Golden Hurricane since 2022.
K-State (1-1) won the doubles point over Tulsa (4-4), claiming the point for a consecutive match, before facing three-set matches on four courts in singles play.
Freshman Sasha Kyselova and sophomore Chanel Rustemova found success in doubles play again, defeating Carolina Alonso and Maria Santos 6-3 in the no. 2 spot. Freshmen Varvara Bernovich and Diana Smolinska also won their match, almost leaving their opponents scoreless in the no. 3 position, 6-1 over Erin McKenzie and Lilitha Ndungane.
The #33 ranked Cats duo, junior Maralgoo Chogsomjav and freshman Martaa Chogsomjav, went unfinished 4-3 in the no. 1 spot against Isabella Basson and Tayla Wilmot.
Rustemova faced a consecutive three-set match to start the season, clinching the match for K-State with a win over Tulsa's Ngundane. Playing in the no. 6 position, the match started with a high scoring tiebreaker in favor of Rustemova at 7-5 before she scored just two points in the following set. Regaining her footing, Rustemova almost swept her opponent in the final set for a win at 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-1.
Maralgoo started the spring with another win in the no. 1 spot, victorious this time in three sets, defeating Basson. Chogsomjav dropped the first set but battled back in the second and kept the momentum for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 score.
Smolinska won her first dual match of the spring with a high scoring 7-5 first set against Alice Baba. She continued to control the match in the second set for a 7-5, 6-2 win in the no. 4 position.
Martaa was deep in a three-set match against Alonso before going unfinished in the no. 3 spot. The first two sets resulted in the same score with split favor before heading into a tiebreaker in the last set before stoppage at 3-6, 6-3, 6-6.
Bernovich moved to the no. 5 spot in her second match as a Wildcat and faced a three-set battle against Wilmot. After falling short in the first set she competed hard in the next, almost leaving her opponent scoreless at 6-1. In the final set Bernovich continued to battle but came up just short, losing 3-6, 6-1, 4-6.
Kyselova faced former Wildcat Maria Santos in the no. 2 position, falling in straight sets, 3-6, 2-6.
K-State will continue the weekend in Fayetteville against Arkansas (5-0) on Sunday (February 8) at 10 a.m.
FROM THE COURTS
Head Coach Jordan Smith
On the first win of the season…
"Really proud of this team win. Our ladies all stepped up for each other to pull this win out today. Credit to Tulsa because they never went away and made us earn everything. Back to back matches we've come out well and won the doubles point against another solid team. We're definitely getting better in this area. Back off some in the start of singles with our energy, but thankfully that improved."
On facing Arkansas tomorrow…
"Quick turnaround tomorrow against Arkansas. They'll be more loud and feisty compared to Tulsa. We just need to stay true to ourselves and I like our chances."
Tulsa vs K-State
Billingsley Tennis Center
Fayetteville, Ark.
K-State 4, Tulsa 2
Singles Competition
1. Maralgoo Chogsomjav (KSU) def. Isabella Basson (TUL) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Santos (TUL) def. Sasha Kyselova (KSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU) vs. Carolina Alonso (TUL) 3-6, 6-3, 6-6, unfinished
4. Diana Smolinska (KSU) def. Alice Baba (TUL) 7-5, 6-2
5. Tayla Wilmot (TUL) def. Varvara Bernovich (KSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
6. Chanel Rustemova (KSU) def. Lilitha Ndungane (TUL) 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. Maralgoo Chogsomjav/Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU) vs. Isabella Basson/Tayla Wilmot (TUL) 4-3, unfinished
2. Sasha Kyselova/Chanel Rustemova (KSU) def. Carolina Alonso/Maria Santos (TUL) 6-3
3. Varvara Bernovich/Diana Smolinska (KSU) def. Erin McKenzie/Lilitha Ndungane (TUL) 6-1
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 X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
K-State (1-1) won the doubles point over Tulsa (4-4), claiming the point for a consecutive match, before facing three-set matches on four courts in singles play.
Freshman Sasha Kyselova and sophomore Chanel Rustemova found success in doubles play again, defeating Carolina Alonso and Maria Santos 6-3 in the no. 2 spot. Freshmen Varvara Bernovich and Diana Smolinska also won their match, almost leaving their opponents scoreless in the no. 3 position, 6-1 over Erin McKenzie and Lilitha Ndungane.
The #33 ranked Cats duo, junior Maralgoo Chogsomjav and freshman Martaa Chogsomjav, went unfinished 4-3 in the no. 1 spot against Isabella Basson and Tayla Wilmot.
Rustemova faced a consecutive three-set match to start the season, clinching the match for K-State with a win over Tulsa's Ngundane. Playing in the no. 6 position, the match started with a high scoring tiebreaker in favor of Rustemova at 7-5 before she scored just two points in the following set. Regaining her footing, Rustemova almost swept her opponent in the final set for a win at 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-1.
Maralgoo started the spring with another win in the no. 1 spot, victorious this time in three sets, defeating Basson. Chogsomjav dropped the first set but battled back in the second and kept the momentum for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 score.
Smolinska won her first dual match of the spring with a high scoring 7-5 first set against Alice Baba. She continued to control the match in the second set for a 7-5, 6-2 win in the no. 4 position.
Martaa was deep in a three-set match against Alonso before going unfinished in the no. 3 spot. The first two sets resulted in the same score with split favor before heading into a tiebreaker in the last set before stoppage at 3-6, 6-3, 6-6.
Bernovich moved to the no. 5 spot in her second match as a Wildcat and faced a three-set battle against Wilmot. After falling short in the first set she competed hard in the next, almost leaving her opponent scoreless at 6-1. In the final set Bernovich continued to battle but came up just short, losing 3-6, 6-1, 4-6.
Kyselova faced former Wildcat Maria Santos in the no. 2 position, falling in straight sets, 3-6, 2-6.
K-State will continue the weekend in Fayetteville against Arkansas (5-0) on Sunday (February 8) at 10 a.m.
FROM THE COURTS
Head Coach Jordan Smith
On the first win of the season…
"Really proud of this team win. Our ladies all stepped up for each other to pull this win out today. Credit to Tulsa because they never went away and made us earn everything. Back to back matches we've come out well and won the doubles point against another solid team. We're definitely getting better in this area. Back off some in the start of singles with our energy, but thankfully that improved."
On facing Arkansas tomorrow…
"Quick turnaround tomorrow against Arkansas. They'll be more loud and feisty compared to Tulsa. We just need to stay true to ourselves and I like our chances."
Tulsa vs K-State
Billingsley Tennis Center
Fayetteville, Ark.
K-State 4, Tulsa 2
Singles Competition
1. Maralgoo Chogsomjav (KSU) def. Isabella Basson (TUL) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Maria Santos (TUL) def. Sasha Kyselova (KSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU) vs. Carolina Alonso (TUL) 3-6, 6-3, 6-6, unfinished
4. Diana Smolinska (KSU) def. Alice Baba (TUL) 7-5, 6-2
5. Tayla Wilmot (TUL) def. Varvara Bernovich (KSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
6. Chanel Rustemova (KSU) def. Lilitha Ndungane (TUL) 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. Maralgoo Chogsomjav/Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU) vs. Isabella Basson/Tayla Wilmot (TUL) 4-3, unfinished
2. Sasha Kyselova/Chanel Rustemova (KSU) def. Carolina Alonso/Maria Santos (TUL) 6-3
3. Varvara Bernovich/Diana Smolinska (KSU) def. Erin McKenzie/Lilitha Ndungane (TUL) 6-1
-- k-statesports.com --
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 X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
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