Friday, March 31
Fort Worth, TX
2:30 p.m.
TCU
2
vs
4
Texas
TCU Comes up Short Against the Longhorns
3/31/2023 8:29:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Two Frogs Earn Ranked Wins
FORT WORTH: Tiphanie Lemaitre and Mercedes Aristegui shine in the Frogs' loss to the Longhorns. TCU women's tennis fought to the last point against No. 9 Texas on Friday afternoon at the Bartzen Varsity Courts, 4-2.
TCU (9-6) had opportunities to take over the match versus Texas (16-3) on Friday. Two singles matches went into three sets with the Frogs on the cusp of victory, but fell just short.
The doubles point was crucial as it set the tone for the rest of the match. Texas took an early lead with a 6-2 victory on court No. 1. The No. 41 duo of Charlotte Chavatipon and Sabina Zeynalova took down Helena Narmont and Yu-Chin Tsai. With an advantage in doubles, the Longhorns took the doubles point with a 6-4 victory with Nicole Khirin and Malaika Rapolu on court No. 3.
In singles play, Aristegui and Lemaitre led their teams chances at a comeback. On court No. 1 Lemaitre brought down the No. 76 singles player in the country in straight sets (6-3, 7-6). The match marked her second ranked win of the season. Aristegui added another ranked victory under her belt as well with a 6-3, 6-4 decision over No. 66 Chavatipon.
Despite two points from their top two courts, the Frogs came up just short among the rest of the field. Tsai and Jade Otway both dropped their matches in straight sets, leaving Narmont and Martins on the remaining courts still with a chance of an upset.
With both matches stretching to three sets, Narmont came up just short falling to Rivkin 6-4, 5-7, 6-0.
Head Coach Lee Taylor Walker spoke after the match and commented upon his team's potential with matches left to go. He said, "We believe this team is talented enough, and care about each other enough, to take the program to the next level. We are going to keep learning and improving, but we feel the belief and level is there now, and we look forward to getting to that level this season."
Singles competition:
1. Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) def. #76 Nicole Khirin (TEXAS) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
2. #123 Mercedes Aristegui (TCU) def. #66 Charlotte Chavatipon (TEXAS) 6-3, 6-4
3. #110 Sabina Zeynalova (TEXAS) def. Jade Otway (TCU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-0
4. Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEXAS) def. Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Destinee Martins (TCU) vs. Malaika Rapolu (TEXAS) 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 1-1, unfinished
6. Nicole Rivkin (TEXAS) def. Helena Narmont (TCU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-0
Doubles competition:
1. #41 Charlotte Chavatipon/Sabina Zeynalova (TEXAS) def. #67 Yu-Chin Tsai/Helena Narmont (TCU) 6-2
2. Mercedes Aristegui/Jade Otway (TCU) vs. Nicole Rivkin/Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEXAS) 5-5, unfinished
3. Nicole Khirin/Malaika Rapolu (TEXAS) def. Destinee Martins/Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) 6-4
Match Notes:
University of Texas 16-3; National ranking #9 TCU Women's Tennis 9-6; National ranking #61
Order of finish:
Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,3,4,1,6)
Up Next: TCU will play in their final home match of the season against the No. 40 Baylor Bears for senior day on Sunday, April 2 at 11:30 a.m.
TCU (9-6) had opportunities to take over the match versus Texas (16-3) on Friday. Two singles matches went into three sets with the Frogs on the cusp of victory, but fell just short.
The doubles point was crucial as it set the tone for the rest of the match. Texas took an early lead with a 6-2 victory on court No. 1. The No. 41 duo of Charlotte Chavatipon and Sabina Zeynalova took down Helena Narmont and Yu-Chin Tsai. With an advantage in doubles, the Longhorns took the doubles point with a 6-4 victory with Nicole Khirin and Malaika Rapolu on court No. 3.
In singles play, Aristegui and Lemaitre led their teams chances at a comeback. On court No. 1 Lemaitre brought down the No. 76 singles player in the country in straight sets (6-3, 7-6). The match marked her second ranked win of the season. Aristegui added another ranked victory under her belt as well with a 6-3, 6-4 decision over No. 66 Chavatipon.
Despite two points from their top two courts, the Frogs came up just short among the rest of the field. Tsai and Jade Otway both dropped their matches in straight sets, leaving Narmont and Martins on the remaining courts still with a chance of an upset.
With both matches stretching to three sets, Narmont came up just short falling to Rivkin 6-4, 5-7, 6-0.
Head Coach Lee Taylor Walker spoke after the match and commented upon his team's potential with matches left to go. He said, "We believe this team is talented enough, and care about each other enough, to take the program to the next level. We are going to keep learning and improving, but we feel the belief and level is there now, and we look forward to getting to that level this season."
Singles competition:
1. Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) def. #76 Nicole Khirin (TEXAS) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
2. #123 Mercedes Aristegui (TCU) def. #66 Charlotte Chavatipon (TEXAS) 6-3, 6-4
3. #110 Sabina Zeynalova (TEXAS) def. Jade Otway (TCU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-0
4. Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEXAS) def. Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Destinee Martins (TCU) vs. Malaika Rapolu (TEXAS) 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 1-1, unfinished
6. Nicole Rivkin (TEXAS) def. Helena Narmont (TCU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-0
Doubles competition:
1. #41 Charlotte Chavatipon/Sabina Zeynalova (TEXAS) def. #67 Yu-Chin Tsai/Helena Narmont (TCU) 6-2
2. Mercedes Aristegui/Jade Otway (TCU) vs. Nicole Rivkin/Taisiya Pachkaleva (TEXAS) 5-5, unfinished
3. Nicole Khirin/Malaika Rapolu (TEXAS) def. Destinee Martins/Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) 6-4
Match Notes:
University of Texas 16-3; National ranking #9 TCU Women's Tennis 9-6; National ranking #61
Order of finish:
Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,3,4,1,6)
Up Next: TCU will play in their final home match of the season against the No. 40 Baylor Bears for senior day on Sunday, April 2 at 11:30 a.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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