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March 4, 2009

TULSA, Okla.--The University of Oklahoma women's tennis team upset No. 32 Tulsa, 4-3, on Wednesday, snapping the Golden Hurricane's nine-match winning streak.

The Sooners' win over Tulsa is Oklahoma's first victory over a ranked opponent this season.  The Sooners entered the match against Tulsa coming off a three-match losing streak, all three matches to then-ranked opponents. OU now holds a 25-4 series lead over the Golden Hurricane. 

"I am so proud of the way the team competed today, we gave ourselves a chance at every single position," OU head coach David Mullins said. "This team has worked incredibly hard since August and truly deserves a win like this."

The Sooners earned the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead.  Sophomores Ana-Maria Constantinescu and Maria Kalashnikova defeated Tulsa's Thalia Diaz-Barriga and Marta Marcinkowska, 8-1, while OU's Tara Eckel and Marie-Pier Huet defeated Anastasia Erofeeva and Jie Zeng of Tulsa, 8-4. 

In singles action the Sooners and Golden Hurricane split the six matches, each winning three.  OU freshman Kristina Radan defeated Diaz-Barriga, 6-2, 6-2, to bring OU's lead to 2-0. Tulsa came from behind claiming two singles points bringing the score to 3-2.  Following Tulsa's rally OU freshman Marie-Pier Huet defeated Rebecca Row, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.  Huet's win brought the score to 4-2, clinching the win for the Sooners.

"Marie-Pier (Huet) really showed me today what a great tennis player and competitor she can be," Mullins said. "She made a gritty comeback today over a very accomplished college player."

Sophomore Ana-Maria Constantinescu lost her first singles match of the season against the Golden Hurricane.  Constantinescu fell to Tulsa's Alexandra Kichoutkin in a hard-fought match, losing 2-6, 7-5, 7-6. 

"To win without Ana-Maria (Constantinescu)'s point is a great achievement for this young team," Mullins said. "This should give our younger players a huge confidence boost for the rest of the season."

OU returns home Sunday, March 8 for its first match in Norman, Okla., this season.  The Sooners will play a doubleheader against Oral Roberts and Oklahoma Baptist at the Headington Family Tennis Center.  The first match against Oral Roberts will begin at noon, followed by Oklahoma Baptist at 5 p.m. 

Oklahoma 4, Tulsa 3
Singles
1. Alexandra Kichoutkin (TLS) def. Ana-Maria Constantinescu (OU), 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3)
2. Maria Kalashnikova (OU) def. Jie Zeng (TLS), 6-3, 6-1
3. Kristina Radan (OU) def. Thalia Diaz-Barriga (TLS), 6-2, 6-2
4. Marta Marcinkowska (TLS) def. Peta Maree Lancaster (OU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
5. Anastasia Erofeeva (TLS) def. Tara Eckel (OU), 6-3, 7-5
6. Marie-Pier Huet (OU) def. Rebecca Row (TLS), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
(Finish: 3, 5, 2, 4, 6, 1)

Doubles
1. Constantinescu/Kalashnikova (OU) def. Diaz-Barriga/Marcinkowska (TLS), 8-1
2. Eckel/Huet (OU) def. Erofeeva/Zeng (TLS), 8-4
3. Kichoutkin/Row (TLS) def. Lancaster/Radan (OU), 8-1
(Finish: 3, 1, 2)