Wildcats Wrap Up Final Day of Jayhawk Invitational Against Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan.- The K-State women's tennis team competed in one last day of action in the Jayhawk Invitational on Saturday (January 17) as they faced Kansas at the Jayhawk Tennis Center. Over three days of competition, the team went 9-8 in singles matches and 3-4 in doubles play.

The Wildcats were unable to secure a doubles win before battling in tough singles matches, freshman Martaa Chogsomjav claiming the lone victory of the day. The in-state rivals will compete again as the last match of the regular season on April 12 at Mike Goss Tennis Stadium.

Martaa and her sister, junior Maralgoo Chogsomjav, encountered their first doubles loss of the season after going 2-0 the last two days. Facing Heike Janse van Vuuren and Meg McCarty, the pair couldn't maintain their moment falling 3-6.

Freshman Sasha Kyselova and sophomore Chanel Rustemova went unfinished in their match due to injury, 4-4, against Anna Putilina and Yerkezhan Arystanbekova. A duo for the first time this spring, twins Addison Renfro and Mallory Renfro competed in the last doubles match, losing to Nahyeong Cho and Kinley VanPelt, 2-6.

Martaa secured her third consecutive win of the weekend, battling back in a high scoring first set over van Vuuren. After securing the first set with a come from behind push, she kept the winning mentality for a 7-5, 6-3 mark. The freshman finished the weekend 5-6 in all matches, including a ranked doubles win over Iowa State's no. 34 Mari Paz Alberto Vilar and Stanislava Shulzhenko.

Maralgoo retired her match in singles play, also due to injury, facing Arystanbekova. After dropping the first set, Maralgoo started the next set strong for a 6-4 score but during an back and forth final set it paused in favor of Arystanbekova at 3-6, 6-4, 3-4.

Kyselova's match versus McCarty was the only other match to go into three sets, battling back after dropping the first one. With momentum, Kyselova left her opponent scoreless in the second set, but it was not enough to secure a win, falling just short at 4-6, 6-0, 4-6. In her first three matches as a Wildcat, she went 1-2, all in three sets.

After a three-set win on Friday against Memphis, freshman Diana Smolinska was held back by Putilina in straight sets, 3-6, 3-6.

K-State will encounter the first dual match of the spring against Nebraska on Friday (January 23) in Lincoln, Neb., at 5 p.m. CT.

FROM THE COURTS

Head Coach Jordan Smith

On starting the season with three consecutive matches…

"We competed well the first two days and took a drop today. Which was expected considering how little we've had to practice after a month off for break. Despite not having a full squad, I was proud of the intent and effort that our ladies brought to this event."

On the effort from the freshmen…

"Getting a nationally ranked win in doubles and players with multiple wins in singles was great. Especially Martaa winning 5 out of 6 matches in both singles and doubles. Very early in the season but if we can learn from this weekend and recover well. Then I like where this team is headed for the remainder of the season."

Kansas vs K-State

Lawrence, Kan.

Jayhawk Tennis Center

Singles Competition

Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU) def. Heike Janse van Vuuren (KU) 7-5, 6-3

Maralgoo Chogsomjav (KSU) vs. Yerkezhan Arystanbekova (KU) 3-6, 6-4, 3-4, unfinished

Meg McCarty (KU) def. Sasha Kyselova (KSU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-4

Anna Putilina (KU) def. Diana Smolinska (KSU) 6-3, 6-3

Kinley VanPelt (KU) def. Mallory Renfro (KSU) 6-0, 6-0

Simryn Jacob (KU) def. Addison Renfro (KSU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles Competition

Heike Janse van Vuuren/Meg McCarty (KU) def. Martaa Chogsomjav/Maralgoo Chogsomjav (KSU) 6-3

Sasha Kyselova/Chanel Rustemova (KSU) vs. Anna Putilina/Yerkezhan Arystanbekova (KU) 4-4, unfinished

Nahyeong Cho/Kinley VanPelt (KU) def. Addison Renfro/Mallory Renfro (KSU) 6-2

-- k-statesports.com --

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), Instagram and Facebook.

Click here to read article