Story by UNK Athletic Communications
Kearney, Neb. – The 22nd-ranked Nebraska Kearney women's tennis team picked up the program's 10th NCAA Tournament win after a 5-1 decision over Central Oklahoma Monday afternoon in Topeka, Kan.Seeded third in the Central Region, the Lopers (19-5) advance to take on second seed and No. 14 Washburn (17-3) Tuesday at noon. The winner advances to the "Sweet 16" in Florida May 19-23; the 'Bods downed the UNK, 4-3, earlier this season in Kearney.
This was the third straight meeting with UCO (14-6) as the two teams met in the regular season finale in Edmond, then played in the MIAA Tournament semifinals a week later in Springfield, Mo. The Lopers won in Oklahoma, 5-2, but the 'Chos turned the tables in Missouri, 4-2 and then won the following day to take the title and earn the MIAA's auto bid to the championships. Today, UNK reversed course from that dual by winning the doubles point. No. 17 Narindra Ranaivo (Madagascar) and Tanya Midzi (Zimbabwe) won 6-3 at one with redshirt junior Clare Plachy (Lincoln Pius) and sophomore Fabiana Gamboa (Venezuela) winning at three, 6-2. They lost a heart breaker in the MIAA's, 7-6 (7-5).Bernthal made it 2-0 Lopers win a straight set win at three (-4, 3) and then Ranaivo rolled at two (-2, -3) after the first set was tied in the early going. While UCO won in straight sets at six, UNK closed things out as Hatouka won at five (-5, -5) and Midzi at three (5-7, -4, -0) at almost the same time. Midzi not only rallied from a 1-0 hole but trailed in the second by a 3-1 score before running away with the match.
UNK and Washburn have split the last 16 duals with the Blue & Gold having a 4-5 mark in Topeka.