TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati women's tennis team earned a decisive 4-2 win over Oral Roberts at Bernis Duke Tennis Center on Friday.
Cincinnati has now won two straight matches and improves to 8-12 overall on the season.
"Today was a very hard-fought win," said head coach Eric Toth. "I thought Oral Roberts competed well and played tough throughout the match. We have been on the short end of some doubles points this season and securing it was a key to our victory today."
The Bearcats clinched early momentum in the doubles portion when redshirt junior Sofia Bruno and sophomore Elizabeth Pendergast took court three, 6-4. The final two doubles positions advanced to seven-point tiebreakers with the tandem of freshman Katie Ferguson and redshirt junior Kelli Niehaus securing the opening point with a 7-6 (6) win on court two.
The Golden Eagles took court five to even the score at 1 before the Bearcats extended the margin with victories on court one and six. Pendergast earned a 7-5, 6-1 win on court one before Ferguson picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win on court six.
Ferguson has now won four of her last five singles matches.
Redshirt senior Maria Santilli took a seven-point tiebreaker in the second set to win in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (2) and clinch the match win.
Cincinnnati closes out the regular season with a conference tilt against Tulsa on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWTEN on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
RESULTS
Cincinnati 4, Oral Roberts 2
April 7, 2023 | Tulsa, Okla. | Bernis Duke Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Luna Morini / Chara Grammatikaki (ORU) def. Callie Flanagan / Cassie McLay (CIN), 7-6 (5)
2. Katie Ferguson / Kelli Niehaus (CIN) def. Sasha Lebedeva / Reagan Miley (ORU), 7-6 (6)
3. Sofia Bruno / Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN) def. Arina Sorokina / Zere Iskakova (ORU), 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 3,1,2
Singles
1. Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN) def. Sasha Lebedeva (ORU), 7-5, 6-1
2. Chara Grammatikaki (ORU) vs. Cassie McLay (CIN), 6-3, 2-6, 5-4 (unfinished)
3. Maria Santilli (CIN) def. Luna Morinin (ORU), 6-1, 7-6 (2)
4. Arina Sorokina (ORU) def. Kelli Niehaus (CIN), 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
5. Reagan Miley (ORU) def. Callie Flanagan (CIN), 6-3, 6-2
6. Katie Ferguson (CIN) def. Zere Iskakova (ORU), 6-4, 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 5,1,6,4,3
Cincinnati has now won two straight matches and improves to 8-12 overall on the season.
"Today was a very hard-fought win," said head coach Eric Toth. "I thought Oral Roberts competed well and played tough throughout the match. We have been on the short end of some doubles points this season and securing it was a key to our victory today."
The Bearcats clinched early momentum in the doubles portion when redshirt junior Sofia Bruno and sophomore Elizabeth Pendergast took court three, 6-4. The final two doubles positions advanced to seven-point tiebreakers with the tandem of freshman Katie Ferguson and redshirt junior Kelli Niehaus securing the opening point with a 7-6 (6) win on court two.
The Golden Eagles took court five to even the score at 1 before the Bearcats extended the margin with victories on court one and six. Pendergast earned a 7-5, 6-1 win on court one before Ferguson picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win on court six.
Ferguson has now won four of her last five singles matches.
Redshirt senior Maria Santilli took a seven-point tiebreaker in the second set to win in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6 (2) and clinch the match win.
Cincinnnati closes out the regular season with a conference tilt against Tulsa on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati women's tennis, please visit GoBEARCATS.com and follow @GoBearcatsWTEN on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
RESULTS
Cincinnati 4, Oral Roberts 2
April 7, 2023 | Tulsa, Okla. | Bernis Duke Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Luna Morini / Chara Grammatikaki (ORU) def. Callie Flanagan / Cassie McLay (CIN), 7-6 (5)
2. Katie Ferguson / Kelli Niehaus (CIN) def. Sasha Lebedeva / Reagan Miley (ORU), 7-6 (6)
3. Sofia Bruno / Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN) def. Arina Sorokina / Zere Iskakova (ORU), 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 3,1,2
Singles
1. Elizabeth Pendergast (CIN) def. Sasha Lebedeva (ORU), 7-5, 6-1
2. Chara Grammatikaki (ORU) vs. Cassie McLay (CIN), 6-3, 2-6, 5-4 (unfinished)
3. Maria Santilli (CIN) def. Luna Morinin (ORU), 6-1, 7-6 (2)
4. Arina Sorokina (ORU) def. Kelli Niehaus (CIN), 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
5. Reagan Miley (ORU) def. Callie Flanagan (CIN), 6-3, 6-2
6. Katie Ferguson (CIN) def. Zere Iskakova (ORU), 6-4, 6-4
ORDER OF FINISH: 5,1,6,4,3