TU Women's Tennis Sweeps UCF In AAC Quarterfinals

The No. 3-seeded University Tulsa women's tennis team took down the No. 6 UCF Knights, 4-0, in the American Athletic Conference quarterfinals on Thursday, setting up a date with the No. 2 Tulane Green Wave in Friday's semifinal, beginning at 12:00 p.m. at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.

In doubles play, Mahitha Dadireddy and Saana Saarteinen were the first to finish, defeating Cortney Cesarini and Monica Matias, 6-0, from the No. 3 position. UCF evened the score, after the duo of Caroline Eberhart and Kennan Johnson took down Ksenia Laskutova and Renata Kuricova, 6-1, at the No. 1 spot. Rongrong Leenabanchong and Marcelina Cichon clinched the doubles point for the Golden Hurricane with a 6-3 win over Clare Mendell and Sofia Baptista.

Tulsa carried its momentum into singles play, where Saarteinen made quick work from the No. 5 spot, beating Matias, 6-1, 6-0, to put the Hurricane up 2-0. Leenabanchong ended her match shortly after, from the No. 2 position, 6-4, 6-3, to give the Golden Hurricane the commanding lead.

Cichon did the honors of clinching the match point for TU, after taking down Kennan Johnson, 6-2, 6-4, from the No. 3 position.

American Athletic Conference Quarterfinals

Tulsa vs. UCF

4/16/2015 at Tulsa, Okla. (Michael D. Case)

#3 Tulsa 4, #6 UCF 0

Doubles Competition (Order of Finish: 3,1,2*)

1. Caroline Eberhart/Kennan Johnson (UCF) def. Ksenia Laskutova/Renata Kuricova (TU), 6-1

2. Rongrong Leenabanchong/Marcelina Cichon def. Clare Mendell/Sofia Baptista (UCF) def. (TU), 6-3

3. Mahitha Dadireddy/Saana Saarteinen (TU) def. Cortney Cesarini/Monica Matias (UCF), 6-0

Singles Competition (Order of Finish: 5,2,3*)

1. Caroline Eberhart (UCF) vs. Ksenia Laskutova (TU), DNF

2. Rongrong Leenabanchong (TU) def. Cortney Cesarini (UCF), 6-4, 6-3

3. Marcelina Cichon (TU) def. Kennan Johnson (UCF), 6-2, 6-4

4. Clare Mendell (UCF) vs. Yelena Nemchen (TU), DNF

5. Saana Saarteinen (TU) def. Monica Matias (UCF), 6-1, 6-0

6. Sofia Baptista (UCF) vs. Renata Kuricova (TU), DNF