Completed Event: Tennis versus Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on September 12, 2025 ,
Final
Tennis
Blue Gray National Tennis Classic
Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, April 22
Lawrence, Kan.
6:00 PM
Iowa State University
3
vs
4
Oklahoma
Cyclones Fall in Semifinals of Big 12 Championships
04.22.2023 | Tennis
LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 11 Iowa State fell to No. 14 Oklahoma, 4-3, in heartbreaking fashion Saturday night in the Big 12 Championship semifinals. The Cyclones came within a point of advancing to their first conference title match, but ultimately bowed out of the tournament to the third-seeded Sooners.
With the team score tied 3-3 and the match resting on the No. 2 singles spot, No. 78 Ange Oby Kajuru couldn't hold on to a 5-4 lead late in the third set. The sophomore fell to No. 93 Dana Guzman, 6-0, 7-6(5), 7-5, in a thrilling high-stakes match.
The loss was Iowa State's first of the season when winning the doubles point (previously 17-0).
This was just the second time in program history that Iowa State had ever advanced to the semifinals of the Big 12 Championships.
HOW IT HAPPENED
At No. 2 doubles, Kajuru and Miska Kadleckova quickly took care of Alexandra Pisareva and Layne Sleeth, 6-3, winning their seventh straight and improving to 13-2 on the season. Thasaporn Naklo and Anna Supapitch Kuearum then dropped their match against Carmen and Ivana Corley on court No. 1, 6-3, leaving the doubles point up for grabs on court No. 3.
Iowa State would clinch the always-important doubles point in a match that went down to the wire. Sofia Cabezas and Miska Kadleckova went into a tiebreak against Julia Garcia Ruiz and Dana Guzman and came out on top with a 7-6 (3) victory. The duo improved to 19-5 on the season.
The Sooners would get a point back right away in singles as Naklo fell to No. 52 Layne Sleeth, 6-3, 6-3, in the top singles spot.
Supapitch Kuearum put Iowa State back in front again in an exciting three-set match. The sophomore took down Alexandra Pisareva, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2, on court No. 4.
Oklahoma would get two points back on courts No. 5 and No. 3 as both Cabezas and Kadleckova dropped their matches back-to-back. Cabezas fell to Garcia Ruiz, 7-5, 0-6, 2-6, while Kadleckova dropped her match to No. 120 Carmen Corley, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Senior Chie Kezuka then tied the match up with a gritty, 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-1 win on court No. 6.
Kajuru had the chance to clinch the victory for the Cyclones in a thriller on court No. 2. The Tokyo, Japan native quickly took the first set, 6-0, but struggled to gain any separation in the second and third sets. After losing the second set, 7-6 (5), Kajuru and Guzman went back-and-forth, trading points in the final set. Despite leading 5-4 in the final set, Kajuru was not able to come away with the victory, eventually losing, 7-5.
UP NEXT
Iowa State awaits the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, scheduled to take place on Monday, May 1 at 5 p.m. on ncaasports.com.
DOUBLES RESULTS
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
#1 – C. Corley/I. Corley (OU) def. No. 52 Naklo/Supapitch Kuearum (ISU), 6-3
#2 – No. 64 Kajuru/Nong (ISU) def. Pisareva/Sleeth (OU), 6-3
#3 - Kadleckova/Cabezas (ISU) def. Ruiz/Guzman (OU), 7-6 (3)
SINGLES RESULTS
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 5, 3, 6, 2
#1 – No. 52 Layne Sleeth (OU) def. No. 67 Thasaporn Naklo (ISU), 6-3, 6-3
#2 – No. 93 Dana Guzman (OU) def. No. 78 Ange Oby Kajuru (ISU), 0-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5
#3 – No. 120 Carmen Corley (OU) def. Miska Kadleckova (ISU), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
#4 – Anna Supapitch Kuearum (ISU) def. Alexandra Pisareva (OU), 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
#5 – Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) def. Sofia Cabezas (ISU), 7-5, 0-6, 6-2
#6 – Chie Kezuka (ISU) def. Emma Staker (OU), 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-1
Players Mentioned
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