ISU Tennis Falls to OSU in Big 12 Championship

NORMAN, Okla.- The Iowa State tennis team closed out the 2009 season Thursday afternoon, falling to Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 Championship, 4-1. The Cyclones finished their season with a 10-13 overall record and a 1-10 Big 12 mark.

The Cyclones struggled in doubles to open the match, as Oklahoma State earned the first point. After getting down in the first set of several single matches, the Cyclones answered in the second set before the Cowgirls collected enough points to clinch the victory.

“I am very proud of how we competed in singles,” ISU head coach Armando Espinosa said. “We just need to find the same fire in doubles, but that has been the story of the season.”

In singles play, Iowa State's Maria Fernanda Macedo earned a win after Oklahoma State's Iryna Khatsko retired. After falling 6-1 in the first set, Macedo was up 5-1 in the second, before her opponent was forced to retire.

Cyclone freshman Tessa Lang was also in the process of fighting back in the second set before her match was cut short since the Cowgirls had scored the necessary four points. After falling down to Oklahoma State's Nataliya Shatkovskaya, 6-3, in the first set, Lang earned a 6-1 win in the second.

ISU's Marie-Christine Chartier put up a solid showing in the second set against OSU's Maryna Tkachenko, but was defeated 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. Alyssa Palen also picked up a second-set victory (6-3), but eventually fell to Alisa Buslaieva 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

At No. 1 singles, Erin Karonis took the first set to a tiebreaker, but came up on the short end. Her match was ended before the second set was decided.

Singles
1. JoAnne Karaitiana, Okla. State (7-11) vs. Erin Karonis, Iowa State (15-4)      7-6, 5-2
2. Tessa Lang, Iowa State (5-9) vs. Nataliya Shatkovskaya, Okla. State (10-6) 3-6, 6-1, DNF
3. Maria Macedo, Iowa State (5-1) def. Iryna Khatsko, Okla. State (3-2)            1-6, 5-1, Retired
4. Maryna Tkachenko, Okla. State (2-4) def. Marie Chartier, Iowa State (9-11) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
5. Oleksandra Belova, Okla. State (5-3) def. Liza Wischer, Iowa State (11-9)     6-2, 6-1
6. Alisa Buslaieva, Okla. State (9-8) def. Alyssa Palen, Iowa State (3-6)              6-3, 3-6, 6-1

Doubles
1. Shatkovskaya/Karaitiana, Okla. State (9-5) def. Karonis/Hickey, Iowa State (4-10)      8-2
2. Buslaieva/Khatsko, Okla. State (8-5) def. Macedo/Chartier, Iowa State (9-11)              8-1
3. Wicher/Lang, Iowa State (6-7) vs. Belova/Tkachenko, Okla. State (7-7)                        DNF

Players Mentioned

Marie-Christine Chartier

Erin Karonis

Erin Karonis

Tessa Lang

Maria Fernanda Macedo

Alyssa Palen

Alyssa Palen

Liza Wischer

Liza Wischer

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics