Sunday, 02/15/2009

WICHITA -- The Wichita State women's tennis team improved to 4-1 with a 5-2 win over Oklahoma Sunday afternoon at Genesis Health Club. Freshman Lutifana Budiharto remained undefeated in singles play this spring with a No. 2 singles win.

The Shockers took the early edge, earning the doubles point by earning a three-game sweep of the Sooners. Stephanie Dalmacio and Anna Egorova defeated Ana-Maria Constantinescu and Maria Kalashnikova, 8-5, in the No. 1 match, while Lutfiana Budiharto and Lenore Lazaroiu defeated Marie-Pier Huet and Tara Eckel, 8-4, in the No. 2 doubles match. Florentina Hanisch and Laryssa Ferreira completed the sweep with an 8-6 marathon win over Kristina Radan and Peta Maree Lancaster.

Wichita State continued to roll in singles play, picking up two quick wins to take a 3-0 advantage. Dalmacio made quick work of Radan in the No. 3 match, 6-1, 6-0, and Hanisch followed suit with a 6-2, 6-0 straight set win of her own over Eckel in the No. 4 match.

Budiharto secured the Shocker win, and remained undefeated this spring with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Kalashnikova in the No. 2 match.

The Sooners picked up their first win of the dual when Huet defeated Lazaroiu in the No. 6 match, 7-5, 6-0, and added another win when Constantinescu, the 98th-ranked singles player in the nation, defeated Egorova in a third set tie-breaker, 6-3, 4-6, 10-6.

Browning also used a third set tie breaker to defeat Lancaster, 6-2, 3-6, 12-10, in the No. 5 match.

The Shockers are back in action Saturday, Feb. 21, with their first doubleheader of the season. Wichita State will take on UALR in a 10 a.m. match scheduled to be played at the Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex, while Kansas state comes to town for a 6 p.m. match that will be played at the Wichita Country Club. Should inclement weather conditions persist, the UALR match will be played at Crestview Country Club.

--Wichita State--