Texas Tech Athletics
Oklahoma State
No. 16 Texas Tech Reaches Big 12 Final
April 25, 2015 | Women's Tennis
April 25, 2015
WACO, Texas -- In the more than four decades of Lady Raider Tennis, no Texas Tech team has ever played for an automatic bid to reach the NCAA Championships. That was until Saturday.
No. 16 Texas Tech (19-5) upset No. 11 Oklahoma State, 4-1, in the semifinals of the Big 12 Championships at the Hurd Tennis Center to advance to the finals for the first time in program history. Saturday's match marked the fourth straight appearance in the semifinals for Texas Tech. Prior to 2012, Texas Tech had never advanced farther than the quarterfinals.
It was the third meeting between OSU and Texas Tech this season. The two met in the season opener in Atlanta, Ga., at the ITA Kickoff Weekend, where the Cowgirls won, 4-2. Texas Tech answered with a 4-3 win in early April.
"I think it started when we battled back from deficits at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles," said seventh-year head coach Todd Petty. "It was there that we got some momentum. Then we sustained the first 30 minutes of the first set in singles and led on five courts. Oklahoma State is a team that plays with a lot of emotion and we were able to sustain that emotion.
"This is a great win over a great team. I am so proud of how the ladies performed today."
With the win, Texas Tech will now face No. 8 Baylor in the Big 12 Championship final at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Hurd Tennis Center. The winner will earn the conference's automatic bid. The match will be televised on FOX Sports 2. This will mark the first time in program history that the Lady Raiders will play a dual match before a television audience.
The first point of the day was a measure of intestinal fortitude, as Texas Tech battled back for wins at No. 1 and No. 2.
Trailing 3-1, No. 47 Kenna Kilgo and Gabriela Talaba battled back to tie the match, 5-5. Kilgo and Talaba picked up a break over No. 10 Kelsey Laurente and Viktoriya Lushkova and then served for the win at No. 1.
"The doubles point was huge for us," said Lady Raider senior Kilgo. "We got down but fought back and that gave us confidence and momentum heading into singles. This is just awesome. I couldn't have asked for a better senior year."
Lynn Kiro and Sabrina Federici were trailing 5-2 to Katarina Adamovic and Vladica Babic, before going on a tear. Two breaks, an on-serve effort and suddenly it was 5-5. Kiro and Federici picked up their third break of the match and pulled out a 7-5 come-from-behind win for the point.
Talaba, who has been competing at another level of late, coasted past Adamovic, 6-1, 6-2, and Texas Tech led 2-0. No. 114 Sarah Dvorak then held off a late charge from Laurente to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 3 and a 3-0 lead.
Oklahoma State (21-5) got on the board when Maria Alvarez came from behind in the first set to top Katelyn Jackson, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
But that would be all for the Cowgirls, as No. 73 Kiro came back from 6-2 first-set deficit to No. 97 Babic en route to a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory. It was Kiro's eighth match-clinching victory of the season and her 23rd overall win of the season.
"(Kiro) was just clutch today," added Petty. "She came through like she has all season."
Kilgo and Federici had their matches abandoned at that point, because Texas Tech had earned its first trip to the conference finals.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
SEMIFINALS
#16 Texas Tech 4, #11 Oklahoma State 1
Waco, Texas (Hurd Hennis Center)
Singles
1. #69 Kenna Kilgo (TT) vs. #16 Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) 3-6, 7-5, 0-1, unfinished
2. Gabriela Talaba (TT) def. #124 Katarina Adamovic (OSU) 6-1, 6-2
3. #114 Sarah Dvorak (TT) def. Kelsey Laurente (OSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. #73 Lynn Kiro (TT) def. #97 Vladica Babic (OSU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
5. Sabrina Federici (TT) vs. Carla Tur Mari (OSU) 6-3, 3-6, 2-4, unfinished
6. Maria Alvarez (OSU) def. Katelyn Jackson (TT) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1
Doubles
1. #47 Kenna Kilgo / Gabriela Talaba (TT) def. #10 Kelsey Laurente / Viktoriya Lushkova (OSU) 7-5
2. Lynn Kiro / Sabrina Federici (TT) def. Katarina Adamovic / Vladica Babic (OSU) 7-5
3. Sarah Dvorak / Katelyn Jackson (TT) vs. Carla Tur Mari / Maria Alvarez (OSU) 6-6, unfinished
Records: #11 Oklahoma State 21-5; #16 Texas Tech 19-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (2,3,6,4)
T-2:47
Players Mentioned
