Friday, May 5
Norman, OK
10:00 AM
University of Washington
4
vs
2
Arkansas
Dawgs Take Down Hogs In NCAA Tourney Opener
May 05, 2023 | Women's Tennis
NCAA Championships - First and Second Rounds
Hosted by Oklahoma | Norman, Okla.
First Round; Friday, May 5
Washington def. Arkansas, 4-2
(13) Oklahoma def. Hawaii, 4-0
Second Round; Saturday, May 6
Washington vs. (13) Oklahoma, 11 a.m. PT | Live Results | Live Video
NORMAN, Okla. – A strong top to bottom effort in singles led the Husky women's tennis team to its first NCAA tourney win since 2019, as Washington knocked off Arkansas in the first round at Oklahoma's Headington Family Tennis Center. Melissa Sakar had the clinching point at No. 6 singles to secure the 4-2 victory over the SEC foe.
The 21st-ranked Huskies (18-8) will advance to the second round where they will take on the host and 13th-seeded Sooners, the Big 12 regular season co-champs, at 11 a.m. Pacific time.
Arkansas got the jump on the Huskies in doubles and took the doubles point and the 1-0 lead in singles, but UW found its footing in singles play, taking four of the six first sets, and on the two courts where Arkansas won, the Huskies responded with second set wins.
Jennifer Kerr tied the dual up with the first Husky point, as she ran away with her second set at No. 4 singles to beat Lenka Stara, 6-4, 6-1.
At No. 2 singles, Sarah-Maude Fortin earned one of her best wins of the season as she upset 56th-ranked Kelly Keller, 6-2, 6-3, to give the Dawgs a 2-1 lead.
A pivotal point came at No. 3, where Astrid Olsen was facing Indianna Spink. Olsen won the first set, 6-2, then Spink won the second by the same score. Olsen took her first lead in the third set at 4-3, Spink tied it, then Olsen moved ahead, 5-4. Olsen would break through and close it out in the next game for the 6-4 win, putting the Huskies a point away.
Arkansas got its first singles point to close to 3-2 at No. 1 singles, as Hikaru Sato fell in three sets to 41st-ranked Carolina Gomez Alonso, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
The final two matches were up for grabs at No. 5 and No. 6 with UW needing one. At the six spot, Sakar had staged a major rally to win her first set, 7-5, over Kacie Harvey. She was down 3-5 and 0-40, saving four set points in that game, and coming back to take the set. The second set was back and forth as well, as Sakar led 4-2, then Harvey won three games in a row. Down 4-5, Sakar again had to save two set points to make it 5-all. They went to a tiebreak, with Sakar able to play the cleaner points and pull away for a 7-3 victory.
When the match was clinched on six, Erika Matsuda was leading 6-5 in a third set in her match with Morgan Cross at No. 5.
This was Washington's first win over Arkansas in three meetings.
Washington Women's Tennis
NCAA Championships – First Round
May 5, 2023
Norman, Okla. | Headington Family Tennis Center
#21 Washington – 4
#42 Arkansas – 2
Singles
1. (#41) Carolina Gomez Alonso (Ark) def. (#109) Hikaru Sato (UW) – 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) def. (#56) Kelly Keller (Ark) – 6-2, 6-3
3. Astrid Olsen (UW) def. Indianna Spink (Ark) – 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. Jennifer Kerr (UW) def. Lenka Stara (Ark) – 6-4, 6-1
5. Erika Matsuda (UW) vs. Morgan Cross (Ark) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-5, DNF
6. Melissa Sakar (UW) def. Kacie Harvey (Ark) – 7-5, 7-6 (3)
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 1, 6
Doubles
1. (#72) Matsuda/Sato (UW) vs. (#46) Spink/Cross (Ark) – 3-5, DNF
2. Stara/O'Donnell (Ark) def. Kerr/Olsen (UW) – 6-2
3. Gomez Alonso/Keller (Ark) def. Fortin/Suko (UW) – 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3
Hosted by Oklahoma | Norman, Okla.
First Round; Friday, May 5
Washington def. Arkansas, 4-2
(13) Oklahoma def. Hawaii, 4-0
Second Round; Saturday, May 6
Washington vs. (13) Oklahoma, 11 a.m. PT | Live Results | Live Video
NORMAN, Okla. – A strong top to bottom effort in singles led the Husky women's tennis team to its first NCAA tourney win since 2019, as Washington knocked off Arkansas in the first round at Oklahoma's Headington Family Tennis Center. Melissa Sakar had the clinching point at No. 6 singles to secure the 4-2 victory over the SEC foe.
The 21st-ranked Huskies (18-8) will advance to the second round where they will take on the host and 13th-seeded Sooners, the Big 12 regular season co-champs, at 11 a.m. Pacific time.
Melissa CLINCHES!! ????
— Washington Women's Tennis (@UW_WTennis) May 5, 2023
Dawgs knock out the Razorbacks and are on to NCAA Round ??#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/Rq4bsQ78WF
Arkansas got the jump on the Huskies in doubles and took the doubles point and the 1-0 lead in singles, but UW found its footing in singles play, taking four of the six first sets, and on the two courts where Arkansas won, the Huskies responded with second set wins.
Jennifer Kerr tied the dual up with the first Husky point, as she ran away with her second set at No. 4 singles to beat Lenka Stara, 6-4, 6-1.
At No. 2 singles, Sarah-Maude Fortin earned one of her best wins of the season as she upset 56th-ranked Kelly Keller, 6-2, 6-3, to give the Dawgs a 2-1 lead.
A pivotal point came at No. 3, where Astrid Olsen was facing Indianna Spink. Olsen won the first set, 6-2, then Spink won the second by the same score. Olsen took her first lead in the third set at 4-3, Spink tied it, then Olsen moved ahead, 5-4. Olsen would break through and close it out in the next game for the 6-4 win, putting the Huskies a point away.
Arkansas got its first singles point to close to 3-2 at No. 1 singles, as Hikaru Sato fell in three sets to 41st-ranked Carolina Gomez Alonso, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
The final two matches were up for grabs at No. 5 and No. 6 with UW needing one. At the six spot, Sakar had staged a major rally to win her first set, 7-5, over Kacie Harvey. She was down 3-5 and 0-40, saving four set points in that game, and coming back to take the set. The second set was back and forth as well, as Sakar led 4-2, then Harvey won three games in a row. Down 4-5, Sakar again had to save two set points to make it 5-all. They went to a tiebreak, with Sakar able to play the cleaner points and pull away for a 7-3 victory.
When the match was clinched on six, Erika Matsuda was leading 6-5 in a third set in her match with Morgan Cross at No. 5.
This was Washington's first win over Arkansas in three meetings.
Washington Women's Tennis
NCAA Championships – First Round
May 5, 2023
Norman, Okla. | Headington Family Tennis Center
#21 Washington – 4
#42 Arkansas – 2
Singles
1. (#41) Carolina Gomez Alonso (Ark) def. (#109) Hikaru Sato (UW) – 6-2, 2-6, 6-2
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) def. (#56) Kelly Keller (Ark) – 6-2, 6-3
3. Astrid Olsen (UW) def. Indianna Spink (Ark) – 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. Jennifer Kerr (UW) def. Lenka Stara (Ark) – 6-4, 6-1
5. Erika Matsuda (UW) vs. Morgan Cross (Ark) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-5, DNF
6. Melissa Sakar (UW) def. Kacie Harvey (Ark) – 7-5, 7-6 (3)
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 1, 6
Doubles
1. (#72) Matsuda/Sato (UW) vs. (#46) Spink/Cross (Ark) – 3-5, DNF
2. Stara/O'Donnell (Ark) def. Kerr/Olsen (UW) – 6-2
3. Gomez Alonso/Keller (Ark) def. Fortin/Suko (UW) – 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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