_ctofeatured.jpg "Longhorns take their conference opener behind the doubles point and five singles victories.")
Longhorns take their conference opener behind the doubles point and five si...
Univ. of Texas at Austin Team Page
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas (5-7, 1-0 Big 12) won the doubles point and five of six singles matches on its way to a 6-1 win over Oklahoma (8-4, 2-1 Big 12) Friday afternoon at UT's Penick-Allison Tennis Center.
Texas won the doubles contests at the first and third positions to claim the doubles point. At first doubles, UT's 19th-ranked duo of Breaunna Addison and Noel Scott broke OU's 14th-ranked tandem of Hermon Brhane and Whitney Ritchie at four-all for a 5-4 lead. Texas took the next three games to close out the match, 8-4.
OU's Mia Lancaster and Abbi Melrose opened up a 2-1 lead at third doubles over UT's Lina Padegimaite and Juliana Gajic, but the Longhorns won each game thereafter and cruised to an 8-2 win to seal the doubles point. The Sooners won the remaining match at second doubles, 8-5.
Padegimaite, the reigning Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year, picked up where she left off last season and started league play with a 6-0, 6-1 win over OU's Whitney Wofford at fifth singles. OU sliced the Texas lead to 2-1 when UT's Gajic retired in the first set at sixth singles, but UT asserted control seized the remaining four matches.
Texas' 42nd-ranked Ellis pushed the Longhorns' lead to 3-1 behind a 6-2, 6-2 win over OU's 106th-ranked Brhane at first singles. UT's Begley clinched the victory with a 6-2, 6-2 win over OU's Melrose at fourth singles.
The Longhorns' Addison was victorious in her first career Big 12 match, as the Floridian posted a 6-3, 6-4 win over Oklahoma's Ritchie at second singles. Texas' Scott trailed OU's Lancaster, 5-2 in the first set at third singles before capturing the ensuing five games to take the set, 7-5. Scott topped Lancaster in the second set, 6-4 only seconds after Addison's victory to close out the 6-1 Texas win.
Texas continues conference play on Sunday at home when it meets Oklahoma State at noon. Longhorn Network will air a tape-delayed telecast of the match Sunday at 7 p.m. Central.
POST-MATCH COMMENTS
Texas head coach Patty Fendick-McCain
I thought we played really good, solid tennis throughout the match. I was really pleased with the way we played and competed. We talked about some things we wanted to do today, and we put those into play right away.
We play a lot better when we are emotionally on a high. The ladies have been great about managing the highs and the lows. They were ready to come out and go after it today.
Texas 6, Oklahoma 1
Doubles - Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
1.No. 19 Breaunna Addison/Noel Scott (UT) def. No. 14 Hermon Brhane/Whitney Ritchie (OU) - 8-4
2. Emma Devine/Whitney Wofford (OU) def. Elizabeth Begley/Aeriel Ellis (UT) - 8-5
3. Lina Padegimaite/Juliana Gajic (UT) def. Mia Lancaster/Abbi Melrose (OU) - 8-2
Singles - Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 4, 2, 3
1. No. 42 Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. No. 106 Hermon Brhane (OU) 6-2, 6-2
2. No. 52 Breaunna Addison (UT) def. Whitney Ritchie (OU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Noel Scott (UT) def. Mia Lancaster (OU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Elizabeth Begley (UT) def. Abbi Melrose (OU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Lina Padegimaite (UT) def. Whitney Wofford (OU) 6-0, 6-1
6. Emma Devine (OU) def. Juliana Gajic (UT) 5-5, ret.
