No. 27 SMU Women’s Tennis Wins Thriller Over No. 33 Ohio State

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (SMU) – For the second day in a row, the No. 27 SMU Women’s Tennis team found itself in a fierce battle with top-ranked opponent, but this time the Mustangs were able to stave off their opposition and come away with a thrilling 4-3 win in a four-hour marathon match at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Knoxville, Tenn.

With the score deadlocked at three all, the match came down to No. 2 singles where sophomore Edyta Cieplucha and No. 125 Kelsey Haviland fought to see who would claim the victory.

Cieplucha claimed the first set in a hard-fought tiebreaker, 7-6(5), before falling in the second set, 2-6. With the decision still hanging in the balance late in the third set, Cieplucha held serve to move ahead 6-5 and then, down love-30, broke Haviland’s serve by winning the next four points to claim the victory for herself and the team.

”What a great win and what a tremendous effort by the team again today,”

 said head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner. “I knew we would be sore and tired and they could have given me any excuse in the book why they couldn’t play today, but they didn’t. I am very proud of how we represented ourselves and SMU with our play this weekend.”

Beginning the day with doubles, the Mustangs lost the doubles point for the first time this spring, grabbing their only victory at the No. 2 position.

The SMU duo of Ashley Turpin and Shazoda Hatamova fell at No. 3, 8-3, to Kara Cecil and Noelle Malley, but moments later Heather Steinbauer and Cieplucha evened things up with their 8-5 win over Haviland and Gabby Steele.

With the opening point still up for grabs, Marta Lesniak and Aleksandra Malyarchikova appeared to have SMU in good shape to take the early lead, but the pair failed to close out a three-game lead and lost to Paloma Escobedo and Cami Hubbs, 8-6.

 

”I thought that we played well in doubles again even though we came out on the wrong end of the decision. I also think that some of the girls were a little put out at the constant noise and cheering from Ohio State. I told the team before we started singles that cheering and screaming doesn’t win matches. It’s making the right shots, keeping your composure and fighting for every ball that wins matches. Today we proved that.”

As play shifted to singles, SMU evened things up at one apiece in a hurry after Malyarchikova made quick work of Malley at the No. 5 line, 6-1, 6-1.

The Buckeyes surged ahead a few moments later when Hubbs downed Turpin at No. 6 in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.

Lesniak, the nation’s No. 2 singles player, pulled her team even again at 2-2 when she fought off Escobedo at the No. 1 singles spot, 6-4, 6-2. From there the match stayed deadlocked at 2-2 for quite some time until Steinbauer grabbed her win at No. 3.

The junior transfer from Vanderbilt came out strong and quickly gained the advantage with a 6-2 first set win. Cecil regrouped and grabbed an early break in the second set and then was able to hold off Stenbauer in a second set tiebreaker, 7-6(5).

As play moved to the third set, Cecil appeared to keep the momentum she gained in the second set and took an early 2-1 lead in the third. Steinbauer soon pulled even on her serve at 2-2 and then grabbed total control of the set by taking the next four games for the win.

With SMU now clinging to a 3-2 lead, it needed just one win from either Cieplucha or Hatamova to leave with the victory.

After dropping the first set 6-1, Hatamova showed determination and guts and surged back to win the second set 6-2. Once in the third however, her momentum ran out and she was ousted in the third set by a score of 6-2.

The 3-3 tie did not last long though as just moments later, Cieplucha’s hold and break sealed the victory for the Mustangs.

”I am also very proud of Edyta,” said Meisner. “She is playing up in the lineup this year and she has responded to this challenge just like I knew she would. She played very well these last two days and she can build on these performances.”

Today’s victory also moved Meisner into a tie for second place with Barbara Camp on the all-time career wins list with 86. The sixth-year head coach still holds the all-time SMU record for winning percentage at .782 (86-24).

The Mustangs return to the courts on Saturday, February 5 when they travel to Wichita, Kansas to they take on the host Wichita State Shockers at 10 a.m. The team will then travel to Edmond, Oklahoma and duel with No. 64 Oklahoma State on Sunday at Noon.

No. 27 SMU 4, No. 33 Ohio State 3
DOUBLES
1. No. 64 Escobedo/Hubbs (OSU) def. Lesniak/Malyarchikova (SMU), 8-6 
2. Steinbauer/Cieplucha def. No. 50 Haviland/Steele (OSU), 8-5
3. Cecil/Malley def. Turpin/Hatamova, 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1

SINGLES
1. No. 2 Marta Lesniak (SMU) def. Paloma Escobedo (OSU), 6-4, 6-2 
2. Edyta Cieplucha (SMU) def. No. 125 Kelsey Haviland, 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-5 (OSU)
3. Heather Steinbauer (SMU) def. Kara Cecil, 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2 (OSU)
4. Gabby Steele (OSU) def. Shahzoda Hatamova (SMU), 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 
5. Aleksandra Malyarchikova (SMU) def. Noelle Malley (OSU), 6-1, 6-1
6. Cami Hubbs (OSU) def. Ashley Turpin (SMU), 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 3, 4, 2