Marquette Falls Short, 4-3, to Oklahoma

Jan. 27, 2008

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women's tennis team won the doubles' point and two singles matches but fell short to Oklahoma, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium. Senior Maria Calbeto and freshman Christina Ruiz took home wins in singles competition. The loss puts MU at 0-3 on the season.

"We didn't play as well as we did on Friday night," said head coach Jody Bronson. "We have a great weekend ahead of us when we play at Western Michigan and Ball State. We know what we need to work on this week and we will be set for next weekend."

Marquette started out strong winning two of three doubles matches to earn the doubles' point and take and early 1-0 lead. After the No. 3 senior pair of Calbeto and Erin Watkins dropped 8-4 to their OU counterparts, senior Shannon Brown and junior Lauren Little took down Chelsea Orr and Maria Kalashnikova at the No. 1 slot, 8-2. Ruiz and sophomore Kylie Moore followed and clinched the first point of the day with a win at No. 2 doubles, 8-4, over Ana-Maria Constantinescu and Christi Baxley.

Oklahoma tied the score, 1-1, when Little fell at No. 1 singles to Constantinescu, 7-5, 6-2. The Sooners took the next three points at No. 2, 3 and 6 positions to go ahead 4-1, and win the match.

Ruiz and Calbeto closed out the match with wins at Nos. 4 and 5. Ruiz defeated Baxley, 6-7 (1), 6-1, 2-1 ret., and Calbeto downed Elena Antakova in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

"Our No. 1 and 2 doubles played great, and we had really good performances from Lauren (Little), Beba (Maria Calbeto), and Ruiz. We just couldn't pull it out in the end," Bronson said.

The Golden Eagles hit the road for their next two matches on Feb. 2-3. MU will play at Western No. 62 Western Michigan and against Ball State in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Oklahoma 4, Marquette 3

Singles competition:
1. #33 Constantinescu, A. (OKLA) def. Little, Lauren (MARQ) 7-5, 6-2
2. Orr, Chelsea (OKLA) def. Moore, Kylie (MARQ) 6-3, 3-2, retired
3. Kalashnikova, Maria (OKLA) def. Watkins, Erin (MARQ) 7-5, 6-4
4. Calbeto, Maria (MARQ) def. Antakova, Elena (OKLA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
5. Ruiz, Christina (MARQ) def. Baxley, Christi (OKLA) 6-7 (0-1), 6-1, 2-1, retired
6. Cox, Rachael (OKLA) def. Brown, Shannon (MARQ) 0-6, 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition:
1. Brown, Shannon/Little, Lauren (MARQ) def. Orr, Chelsea/Kalashnikova, Maria (OKLA) 8-2
2. Ruiz, Christina/Moore, Kylie (MARQ) def. Constantinescu, A./Baxley, Christi (OKLA) 8-4
3. Cox, Rachael/Antakova, Elena (OKLA) def. Calbeto, Maria/Watkins, Erin (MARQ) 8-4

Match Notes:
Oklahoma 1-1
Marquette 0-3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,6,3,5,4)