The Texas Tech women’s tennis team began Big 12 conference play with a 4-0 loss to No. 67 TCU Saturday at the McLeod Tennis Center.
The Lady Raiders (13-2, 0-1 Big 12) fell to 7-1 at home and lost only their second match of the season. TCU (7-2, 1-0 Big 12) won its fifth match in a row and claimed its fifth shutout on the year.
“Give all the credit to TCU,” Texas Tech head coach Todd Petty said. “They are a talented team from top-to-bottom and definitely a Top 25 team in my opinion. I thought we competed extremely hard. I don’t doubt our heart or our fight out there today. I was hoping to improve after last weekend, but we just aren’t doing what needs to be done right now.”
TCU raced out to an early 1-0 lead after taking the doubles point with wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 spot. Tech’s Lynn Kiro and Felicity Maltby fell 6-1 to Olaya Garrido-Rivas and Mia King. Then, the Frogs clinched the doubles point with a strong 6-2 showing from No. 24 Seda Arantekin and Caroline Wegner against Gabriela Talaba and Alex Valenstein on court one. Tech’s Sarah Dvorak and Sabrina Federici led their doubles match 5-4 over Marie Norris and Alex Pereira at the No. 2 position when play stopped.
The Lady Raiders entered singles play trailing for only the fifth time this season. However, TCU added to their lead and put the Lady Raiders in a 2-0 hole when Pereira defeated Katelyn Jackson in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 on court six.
The Horned Frogs pushed their lead to 3-0 behind an impressive comeback on at the No. 2 position. Arantekin trailed Tech’s Dvorak 5-3 in the first set but rattled off four straight games to take the set and used that momentum to dial up a 7-5, 6-1 win.
TCU completed the sweep of the Lady Raiders on court four behind a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph for Garrido-Rivas over Maltby. For Maltby, it was her first dual match setback of the season ending an 11-match winning streak.
When play was halted, No. 100 Talaba was locked in a tight 6-4, 3-6, 0-1 matchup versus Norris at the top of the lineup. Tech’s Valenstein dropped a tough first-set tiebreaker but rallied to win the second set over Wegner in a 6-7 (4), 6-3 matchup on the No. 3 singles line. Federici was in a back-and-forth 3-6, 6-3, 1-2 battle with Aleksandra Zenovka at the No. 5 spot.
The Lady Raiders will continue their six-match homestand on Wednesday when they square off against No. 55 DePaul. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. from the McLeod Tennis Center. Admission is free to all matches with free pizza while supplies last.
No. 67 TCU 4, No. 11 Texas Tech 0
03/19/16 at Lubbock, Texas (McLeod Tennis Center)
Doubles
1. No. 24 Seda Arantekin/Caroline Wegner (TCU) defeats Gabriela Talaba/Alex Valenstein (TTU): 6-2
2. Sarah Dvorak/Sabrina Federici (TTU) vs. Marie Norris/Alexis Pereira (TCU): 5-4, unfinished
3. Olaya Garrido-Rivas/Mia King (TCU) defeats Lynn Kiro/Felicity Maltby (TTU): 6-2
Singles
1. No. 100 Gabriela Talaba (TTU) vs. Marie Norris (TCU): 6-4, 3-6, 0-1, unfinished
2. Seda Arantekin (TCU) defeats Sarah Dvorak (TTU): 7-5, 6-1
3. Alex Valenstein (TTU) vs. Caroline Wegner (TCU): 6-7 (4), 6-3, unfinished
4. Olaya Garrido-Rivas (TCU) defeats Felicity Maltby (TTU): 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Sabrina Federici (TTU) vs. Aleksandra Zenovka (TCU): 3-6, 6-3, 1-2, unfinished
6. Alexis Pereira (TCU) defeats Katelyn Jackson (TTU): 6-4, 6-4
Match Notes
Texas Tech: 13-2 (0-1 Big 12); National ranking #11
TCU 7-2 (1-0 Big 12); National ranking #67
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,2,4)
(Release Provided By Texas Tech Athletics)