The Texas A&M women’s tennis team won their third consecutive Big 12 match on Sunday by handing Oklahoma their fourth straight conference loss 5-2.
The Aggies took the doubles point surprisingly easily, by winning the No. 2 and 3 lines 8-0 and 8-1, respectively. The Sooner duo of Tara Eckel and Marie-Pier Huet entered their doubles match on a six game win streak, but Morgan Frank and Christi Liles did not allow the pair to win a single game, ending the streak. Elze Potgieter and Sheri Olivier clinched the doubles point for the Aggies almost blanking the Sooners as well, winning their match 8-1.
“This was kind of a strange doubles point,” A&M coach Bobby Kleinecke said. “OU was coming off winning the doubles point against Texas, and we lost all three matches at Texas. I really was a little surprised at how easy the matches went at Nos. 2 and 3. I just think that they probably had a let down. It’s just one of those deals where you’ve got to make use of it when you get it, and I think that is what we did today.”
After taking the 1-0 lead, the Aggies would not look back taking four of the six singles matches to knock off the Sooners. Frank extended the Aggie lead to 2-0, winning her singles match 6-1; 6-2. Frank has yet to lose a singles match in Big 12 play, winning four matches in a row, the longest win streak of her 2009 season.
In 2009, Kleinecke has felt that the No. 3 singles position has been a hole for the Aggies, but Liles filled the hole against the Sooner winning her singles match 6-3; 6-4.
“That’s been a big hole for us all year, so I’m happy that is starting to turn around,” Kleinecke said. “It is gradually getting better and better, and that is three straight wins we’ve had at No. 3 singles.”
After falling into a 3-0 deficit, the Sooners managed to get on the board at the No. 5 line as Huet defeated Stephanie Davidson 6-3;6-4. Freshman Lauren Santacroce would lock up the third straight Aggie victory winning her singles match at the No. 4 position 7-5; 6-3.
Potgieter entered the match against Oklahoma on a five game win streak and undefeated at the No. 1 singles position in Big 12 play. Ana-Maria Constantinescu, who boasts a 10-2 record in 2009, ended Potgieter’s streak defeating her 6-4;6-2. Olivier won her second match of the day in three sets to finish the match for the Aggies in a 5-2 victory.
After a three game home stand, the Aggies will continue Big 12 play with back-to-back matches away from George P. Mitchell Tennis Center. Texas A&M will look to extend their three game win streak against Nebraska on March 27. The Aggies will then have a quick turnaround, playing Iowa State the next day.
“It’s been good to be at home, but next weekend we head up to play Nebraska and Iowa State,” Kleinecke said. “It is going to be an important weekend for us, so we need a good week of practice this week and be ready to go next weekend.”
Despite winning three consecutive Big 12 matches, Kleinecke feels that his young team has yet to reach their full potential. With the conference season underway, the Aggies want to continue improving and look to peak at the end of the season.
“I feel like we just haven’t hit on all cylinders yet, “Kleinecke said. “I still feel like there is more that we can do, and it is just a matter of us laying it out there and trying to keep working on that. I’m hoping with this young group that they are going to peak towards the end of the year. That is what you hope for, and that is what we are shooting for.”