Huskers Come Up Short Against Jayhawks

Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska women’s tennis team (2-3, 0-0 Big Ten) dropped its matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks (2-3, 0-0 Big 12) 4-3 Friday evening at the Dillon Tennis Center. 

The Huskers started off strong in doubles competition, with the No. 1 team of Kristina Novak and Maja Makoric fighting back to secure the 7-5 win over KU’s Malkia Ngounoue and Maria Titova. The Husker duo is now 2-1 in the spring season. Also gaining a doubles win was Ellie Kuckelman and Samantha Alicea in the No. 2 spot as they defeated Sonia Smagina and Tiffany Lagarde, 6-4. Sophomores Isabel Adrover Gallego and Chloe Kuckelman rounded out doubles play as they battled KU’s Raphaelle Lacasse and Mariana Manyoma-Velasquez to an unfinished 6-5. 

 

To start off singles play, Novak dropped a two-set battle to Titova at No. 1, 1-6, 3-6. At No. 3, Chloe fell in straight sets to Smagina, 2-6, 5-7, and Alicea dropped her match at No. 5, 4-6, 2-6. Adrover Gallego, who is now 2-1 in spring competition, got the Huskers back on track at No. 2 with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Kansas’ Ngounoue. Freshman Jillian Roa battled at the No. 6 spot, but dropped a three-set match to Manyoma-Velasquez, resulting in an overall win for the Jayhawks. Play continued and the Huskers finished on a high note, as Makoric defeated Lacasse at No. 4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2). 

Up next, the Huskers will stay home and face the Memphis Tigers on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. CT. 

 

Tennis Match Results

Kansas vs Nebraska

Feb 11, 2022 at Lincoln,Neb.

(Dillon Center)

Kansas 4, Nebraska 3

Singles competition

1. Maria Titova (KU) def. Kristina Novak (NEB) 6-1, 6-3

2. Isabel A. Gallego (NEB) def. Malkia Ngounoue (KU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3

3. Sonia Smagina (KU) def. Chloe Kuckelman (NEB) 6-2, 7-5

4. Maja Makoric (NEB) def. Raphaelle Lacasse (KU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2)

5. Tiffany Lagarde (KU) def. Samantha Alicea (NEB) 6-4, 6-2

6. Mariana Manyoma-Vela (KU) def. Jillian Roa (NEB) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Kristina Novak/Maja Makoric (NEB) def. Malkia Ngounoue/Maria Titova (KU) 7-5

2. Ellie Kuckelman/Samantha Alicea (NEB) def. Sonia Smagina/Tiffany Lagarde (KU) 6-4

3. Chloe Kuckelman/Isabel A. Gallego (NEB) vs. Raphaelle Lacasse/Mariana Manyoma-Vela (KU) 6-5, unfinished

Match Notes:
Nebraska (2-3)
Kansas University (2-3)
Order of Finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (1, 3, 5, 2, 6, 4)