Missouri Finished Season Against OSU in Waco, Tx.

Thursday, April 28

Waco, Texas

AllDay

University of Missouri

Oklahoma State

5/3/2011 12:00:00 AM | Tennis

May 3, 2011

On April 28-May 1, the 2011 Big 12 Women's Tennis Championships took place in Waco, Texas at the Baylor Tennis Center where the Missouri Tigers were seeded 8th. Missouri competed on Thurs., April 28th against the seeded 9th Oklahoma State Cowgirls. The Tigers (12-10 Overall, 4-7 Big 12) challenged Oklahoma State (8-15 Overall, 3-8 Big 12) but fell with a close 4-3, which came down to the last match.

Missouri came out strong with a great performance by senior Kaitlyn Ritchie who defeated the Cowgirls' Nataliya Shatkovskaya in a fast two sets 6-3, 6-2. All the while, fellow senior Mallory Weber also came away with a quick victory beating her opponent Sasha Belova in just two sets 6-3, 6-4. Ritchie and Weber have had a successful senior season and finished physically powerful in their singles matches. Missouri's Marlen Hacke had success on court No. 3 when she won her match 6-2, 7-6 (5). Sophomore Maria Christensen battled on court No. 4 against Malika Rose. Christensen dropped her first set 5-7 but came back in the second 7-6(4). She fought in the third set but was overcome 6-4. Junior Jamie Mera looked to overcome her opponent Kanyapat Narattana but fell 7-5, 6-2 while Rachel Stuhlmann was defeated in three sets 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.

Both the pairings of Weber and Hacke and Mera and Stuhlmann tried to win their matches in order to gain the doubles point for the Tigers. They were close in that endeavor but fell just short of winning their matches. Weber and Hacke were defeated 8-6 while Mera and Stuhlmann were overcome 9-7.

The Cowgirls pulled through against Missouri 4-3 after the match came down a close defeat of Missouri on court No. 4 which came down to a 3rd set. Rose's victory solidified the win for Oklahoma State.

"This is a very tough conference we are in. We knew it was going to be a fight today, which it was. It came down to the last match," said Missouri Interim Head Coach Steven Stuckenschneider. "Hopefully, the girls will continue to work hard through the summer and learn from these experiences."

[9] Oklahoma State 4, [8] Missouri 3

Thursday, April 28 - Women's Big 12 Championship First Round - 1:30 p.m.

Baylor Tennis Center • Waco, Texas

RECORDS: Oklahoma State 8-15 (3-8), Missouri 12-10 (4-7)

ATTENDANCE: n/a

SINGLES

1. Kaitlyn Ritchie, MU def. Nataliya Shatkovskaya, OSU 6-3,6-2

2. Mallory Weber, MU def. Sasha Belova, OSU 6-3,6-4

3. Marlen Hacke, MU def. CC Sardinha, OSU 6-2,7-6(5)

4. Malika Rose, OSU def. Maria Christensen, MU 7-5,6-7(4),6-4

5. Kanyapat Narattana, OSU def. Jamie Mera, MU 7-5,6-2

6. Sarah Meghoufel, OSU def. Rachel Stuhlmann, MU 3-6,6-0,6-2