STILLWATER, Okla. - The Shockers fell victim in another close match, this time against former Shocker head coach Chris Young and the No. 71 Oklahoma State Cowgirls on Saturday afternoon, 4-3.
For the fourth time this season, the Shockers (2-5) fell by a single match. The Cowgirls won the crucial doubles point to take the 1-0 lead, a point that would come back to haunt the Shocks.
"As long as we stay confident and as determined as we have been, we are going to win some of these close ones," Head Coach Colin Foster said.
Led by No. 35 Lutfiana Budiharto's straight-sets victory against Alisa Buslaieva, 6-4, 6-4, the Shockers won the top three singles positions. Senior Stephanie Dalmacio continued to power through the spring, taking on Sasha Belova and defeating her 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.
In a match for the ages, senior Lenore Lazaroiu beat Nataliya Shatkovskaya in the No. 3 match, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7). Unfortunately for the Shockers, their winning ways ended there as Oklahoma State took the No. 4, 5 and 6 matches to combine with the doubles point.
Sophomore Delia Damaschin put up a fight before falling to Sarah Meghoufel, 7-5, 6-1, in the No. 4 spot. Senior Florentina Hanisch pushed Malika Rose to a third set, but came up short, 6-1, 1-6, 7-5. Sophomore Lily Wakim was unable to fend off Leyla Simmons in the No. 6 match, falling to the freshman Cowgirl, 6-0, 6-0.
With each squad taking three singles matches, doubles made the difference.
Shatkovskaya and Belova took down the Shockers' No. 1 duo of Budiharto and Dalmacio, 8-3. The senior tandem of Hanisch and Lazaroiu dropped the No. 2 match to Meghoufel and Rose, 8-4 while the No. 3 position went to Buslaieva and Simmons, 8-5.
No. 71 Oklahoma State 4, Wichita State 3
Singles Results
1. Lutfiana Budiharto (WSU) def. Alisa Buslaieva (OSU), 6-4, 6-4
2. Stephanie Dalmacio (WSU) def. Sasha Belova (OSU), 5-7, 6-3, 6-0
3. Lenore Lazaroiu (WSU) def. Nataliya Shatkovskaya (OSU), 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7)
4. Sarah Meghoufel (OSU) def. Delia Damaschin (WSU), 7-5, 6-1
5. Malika Rose (OSU) def. Florentina Hanisch (WSU), 6-1, 1-6, 7-5
6. Leyla Simmons (OSU) def. Lily Wakim (WSU), 6-0, 6-0
Doubles Results
1. Shatkovskaya/Belova (OSU) def. Budiharto/Dalmacio (WSU), 8-3
2. Meghoufel/Rose (OSU) def. Hanisch/Lazaroiu (WSU), 8-4
3. Buslaieva/Simmons (OSU) def. Wakim/Damaschin (WSU), 8-5
-Wichita State-
