No. 22 OU Beats No. 36 Alabama, Advances at Blue Gray

Oklahoma improved to 6-1 on the season with the win over Alabama, will face no. 19 Notre Dame on Saturday.

Senior Maria Kalashnikova

Feb. 25, 2011

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The 22nd-ranked Oklahoma women’s tennis team topped No. 36 Alabama, 4-2, on Friday to advance to Saturday’s semifinal of the 2011 Blue Gray Tournament in Montgomery, Ala.

The third-seeded Sooners will face the No. 2 seed Notre Dame, ranked 19th nationally, on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (CT).

“Today we really proved to ourselves how much better we are as a team this year and just how tough we can be,” OU Head Coach David Mullins said.

Oklahoma (6-1) lost the doubles point for the first time this season, with losses at both the No. 1 and No. 2 positions but added four points in singles to end the match.

“Alabama clearly outplayed us in doubles yet we did not let that hamper our spirits for singles,” Mullins said. “It was a great match and big win for us.”

OU picked up wins at the No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 singles spots to clinch with win over Alabama.

Senior Ana-Maria Constantinescu beat Alabama’s Mary Anne Macfarlane at the No. 1 position in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
Freshman Whitney Ritchie won her fourth-straight singles match, rallying to top Bama’s Courtney McLane at the No. 3 spot after being shut out in the first set, 0-6, 6-1, 7-5.

Marie-Pier Huet defeated Alex Clay of Alabama at the No. 4 position, 7-5, 6-3, while Kalashnikova won OU’s fourth match point by beating Antonia Foehse, 7-6, 6-4.

The win was OU's fourth over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.

No. 22 Oklahoma 4, No. 36 Alabama 2
Doubles
1. Guarachi/McLane (UA) def. No. 56 Constantinescu/Radu (OU), 8-4
2. Clay/Lindsey (UA) def. Kalashnikova/Ritchie (OU), 8-4
3. Eckel/Huet (OU) vs. Macfarlane/Foehse (UA) - DNF

Singles
1. Ana-Maria Constantinescu (OU) def. Mary Anne Macfarlane (UA), 6-3, 6-3
2. Alexa Guarachi (UA) def. Alice Radu (OU), 7-5, 6-2
3. Whitney Ritchie (OU) def. Courtney McLance (UA), 0-6, 6-1, 7-5
4. Marie-Pier Huet (OU) def. Alex Clay (UA), 7-5, 6-3
5. Maria Kalashnikova (OU) def. Antonia Foehse (UA), 7-6, 6-4
6. Mia Lancaster (OU) vs. Taylor Lindsey (UA) - DNF

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