TCU Drops Two Matches in Orlando

Friday, February 14

Orlando, FL

4:00 p.m.

TCU

Nebraska

TCU Drops Two Matches in Orlando

2/16/2020 4:49:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Stevie Kennedy wins in her debut at No. 1 Singles

ORLANDO, Fla – TCU women's tennis ran out of time in its two matches Sunday, falling to Nebraska, 4-0, and UC-Santa Barbara, 4-1 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. The Horned Frogs were leading or on serve on all remaining courts when the duels were clinched throughout the day.

DOUBLES RECAP
The Horned Frogs changed up the lineup in doubles but couldn't snag the doubles point against UCSB, falling at No. 2 and No. 3. The pair of Norris/Guevara started off strong, up 4-1, but couldn't get holds late in the match.

Doubles Results
1. Kate Paulus/Stevie Kennedy (TCU) vs. Levashova/Bay Christians (UCSB) d.: 5-6
2. Stolmar/Mattel (UCSB) def. Marie Norris/Addy Guevara (TCU): 7-5
3. Zeleva/Kuznetsova (UCSB) def. Chloe Hule/Margaret Polk (TCU): 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2

SINGLES RECAP
The day began with singles play against Nebraska. The Horned Frogs fell on three and six early to fall behind, 3-0 – lost the doubles point on Friday evening. Four matches went to third sets and TCU led on three of them. Unfortunately, the one court with Nebraska ahead finished first and the Huskers won the duel, 4-0.

The Horned Frogs were forced to forfeit the No. 6 singles match due to injury, putting the Gauchos in front, 2-0. After falling on court two, the Horned Frogs were in a 3-0 hole with four matches headed to third sets, once again.

Stevie Kennedy secured her first career win at No. 1 singles, recovering from a second set loss to win: 6-4, 1-6, 6-2. She won 71 percent of her 2^nd return points in the match as her unrelenting defensive effort wore down her opponent.

Elsewhere, freshman Margaret Polk had a herculean effort at No. 5. Polk dropped her first set, 6-0 before digging in and claiming the second set for herself in a tiebreak, 7-6(3). By the end of the match, she had defended 14 match points and had finally earned her first of the match, 40-15, up 6-5 in the final set. But play was suspended due to a clinch on court four, bringing a phenomenal effort to an anticlimactic ending.

Singles Results
1. Mercedes Aristegui (TCU) vs. Claire Reifeis (NEB): 6-4, 2-6, 5-2
2. Stevie Kennedy (TCU) vs. Kirstina Novak (NEB): 4-6, 6-3, 5-3
3. Isabel Adrover Gallego (NEB) d. Kate Paulus (TCU): 6-2, 6-2
4. Chloe Kuckelman (NEB) d. Chloe Hule (TCU) : 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
5. Marie Norris (TCU) vs. Jessica Aragon (NEB): 3-6, 6-4, 4-3
6. Ellie Kuckelman (NEB) d. Margaret Polk (TCU): 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 6, 3, 4

1. Stevie Kennedy (TCU) def. Amit Lev Ari (UCSB): 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
2. Elizaveta Volodko (UCSB) d. Kate Paulus (TCU): 6-2, 6-3
3. Marie Norris (TCU) vs. Tiffany Lagarde (UCSB): 0-6, 7-6(3), 2-3
4. Dominika Paterova (UCSB) def. Chloe Hule (TCU): 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2
5. Margaret Polk (TCU) vs. Shakhnoza Khatamova (UCSB): 0-6, 7-6(3), 6-5
6. Forfeit
Order of finish: 2, 1, 4

Up Next
TCU will head down I-35 to Austin for a neutral site battle with Stanford on Friday, Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m.

For more information on TCU women's tennis, visit gofrogs.com and follow the team on social media: @TCUWomensTennis on twitter and Facebook, @tcuwomenstennis on Instagram.