Wednesday, April 17
Stillwater, Okla.
12 p.m.
Kansas State University
vs
TCU
K-State to Face TCU in Big 12 Championship First Round
Apr 16, 2024 | Tennis
The Wildcats will take the courts at 12 p.m., the match can be streamed on ESPN+
MANHATTAN, Kan.- The No. 10 seed K-State women's tennis team will start postseason competition with the first round of the Big 12 Championship on Wednesday (April 17) against No. 7 seed TCU Horned Frogs in Stillwater, Okla. at Greenwood Tennis Center hosted by Oklahoma State.
K-State (11-11, 4-9 Big 12) will face TCU (12-8, 7-6 Big 12) at 12 p.m. CT, exactly one month after their regular season matchup on March 17 in Manhattan. The winner of the match will then face No. 2 Texas (19-4, 12-1 Big 12) on Thursday (April 18) at 3 p.m. CT.
"We've found a better rhythm towards the end of the regular season," head coach Jordan Smith said. "Been proud of how the team has been competing. Obviously, it's win or end the season starting this week. I know this team is strong enough to keep the season going. Need to step up and play up to our level tomorrow against TCU."
In the previous meeting this season against the Horned Frogs, TCU won 4-1, the Wildcats' one point earned by sophomore Vanesa Suarez over Jade Otway 6-2, 7-5.
During TCU's last four matches they went 2-2, falling short to Texas and Oklahoma at home to wrap up the regular season. In the ITA rankings released on Tuesday they have one ranked singles player in #78 Destinee Martins as well as a ranked doubles team, #64 Jade Otway and Isabel Pascual.
The Cats swept Louisiana Tech 4-0 in the last home match on senior day, senior Manami Ukita clinching the win, 6-2, 6-3 over Tiffani Nash. Then in the last regular season match against #1 Oklahoma State, the team fell 4-0.
Under Smith, who reached 50 wins this season after six years at the helm, K-State enters the postseason with the second most regular season wins at 11 and most Big 12 conference wins with four. In Smith's first season, the Wildcats earned 12 wins prior to the Big 12 Championship, with two conference wins both in 2019 and 2021.
Singles leaders for the Cats include freshmen Maralgoo Chogsomjav, Charlotte Keitel and Tereza Polakova. Chogsomjav earned her 10th win against Louisiana Tech after competing in 18 matches this season. Keitel leads the team with 13 wins, going 7-1 in three set matches. Polakova has 12 wins, one of them uncontested, with a 5-3 Big 12 record.
Junior Veronika Kulhava and Polakova have been a constant doubles pair throughout the season, going 8-7, five of those wins in conference play. Freshman Jillian Harkin and Ukita have also competed recently in seven matches with a 2-2 Big 12 record.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Instagram.
K-State (11-11, 4-9 Big 12) will face TCU (12-8, 7-6 Big 12) at 12 p.m. CT, exactly one month after their regular season matchup on March 17 in Manhattan. The winner of the match will then face No. 2 Texas (19-4, 12-1 Big 12) on Thursday (April 18) at 3 p.m. CT.
"We've found a better rhythm towards the end of the regular season," head coach Jordan Smith said. "Been proud of how the team has been competing. Obviously, it's win or end the season starting this week. I know this team is strong enough to keep the season going. Need to step up and play up to our level tomorrow against TCU."
In the previous meeting this season against the Horned Frogs, TCU won 4-1, the Wildcats' one point earned by sophomore Vanesa Suarez over Jade Otway 6-2, 7-5.
During TCU's last four matches they went 2-2, falling short to Texas and Oklahoma at home to wrap up the regular season. In the ITA rankings released on Tuesday they have one ranked singles player in #78 Destinee Martins as well as a ranked doubles team, #64 Jade Otway and Isabel Pascual.
The Cats swept Louisiana Tech 4-0 in the last home match on senior day, senior Manami Ukita clinching the win, 6-2, 6-3 over Tiffani Nash. Then in the last regular season match against #1 Oklahoma State, the team fell 4-0.
Under Smith, who reached 50 wins this season after six years at the helm, K-State enters the postseason with the second most regular season wins at 11 and most Big 12 conference wins with four. In Smith's first season, the Wildcats earned 12 wins prior to the Big 12 Championship, with two conference wins both in 2019 and 2021.
Singles leaders for the Cats include freshmen Maralgoo Chogsomjav, Charlotte Keitel and Tereza Polakova. Chogsomjav earned her 10th win against Louisiana Tech after competing in 18 matches this season. Keitel leads the team with 13 wins, going 7-1 in three set matches. Polakova has 12 wins, one of them uncontested, with a 5-3 Big 12 record.
Junior Veronika Kulhava and Polakova have been a constant doubles pair throughout the season, going 8-7, five of those wins in conference play. Freshman Jillian Harkin and Ukita have also competed recently in seven matches with a 2-2 Big 12 record.
How to follow the 'Cats: For complete information on the K-State Women's Tennis Team, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Instagram.