The K-State tennis team split two dual matches over the weekend. The loss came against Iowa State by a score of 4-2, and the victory came against West Virginia with that score also being 4-2. The win was the first conference win of the season for the Wildcats.
On Friday against the Cyclones, K-State started off doubles play strong with freshmen Ana Garcia Navas and Millie Stretton winning in the No. 1 doubles. Iowa State then won the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take the doubles point.
In singles play, Garcia Navas lost in two sets at the No. 1 position. Redshirt sophomore Sara Castellano also lost in straight sets in the No. 2 position. Sophomore Carolina Costamagna got the first point for the Wildcats as she won in straight sets as the No. 3 player. Stretton then won in the No. 4 position in straight sets to cut the lead for Iowa State to 3-2 with two matches remaining.
In the No. 5 position, junior Iva Bago was swept to give the Cyclones the 4-2 victory. Junior Livia Cirnu was ahead in the No. 6 position after winning the first set and leading in the second set, but the fourth victory came before her match was finished.
On Sunday, K-State was able to get over the disappointing loss to Iowa State and bounce back to defeat West Virginia.
The Wildcats started out strong, winning two out of the three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead as singles play began. Garcia Navas fell in a three-set thriller in the No. 1 singles, earning the first point of the day for the Mountaineers.
Castellano answered and gained K-State another point at the No. 2 singles position, making the score 2-1. Costamagna fell at the No. 3 position to tie the score at 2-2. That was the last point West Virginia won on the day.
Stretton and Bago clinched the victory for the Wildcats as they earned victories in the No. 4 and No. 5 singles, respectively. Cirnu was once again unable to finish at the No. 6 position as the victory was already clinched.
“This was a tough trip, so seeing the girls respond well after Friday’s tough loss (at Iowa State) was great,” K-State head coach Danielle Steinberg said to K-State Sports. “We also did a good job adjusting to the courts here, which was something I was worried about.”
The Wildcats will have a tough contest next time out as they host Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown at 2 p.m. Saturday.
