TULSA, Okla. – No. 44 Wichita State fell 6-1 to No. 21 Tulsa on Saturday inside the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa. The Shockers fell to 11-6 while the Hurricane improved to 13-4.

Doubles play began with a Rebecca Pedrazzi/Montse Blasco Fernandez (No. 9 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Central Doubles Rankings) 8-1 victory over Dobby Leenabanchong/Carol Benito at No. 2 doubles.

At No. 1 doubles, Renata Kuricova/Marcelina Cichon defeated Lucia Kovalova/Veronika Blaskova 8-3 to tie the doubles portion. The Hurricane won the doubles portion and took the 1-0 dual-match advantage when Maria Sant'Anna/Saana Saarteinen earned an 8-3 win over Julia Schiller/Abby Stevens (No. 7 in the ITA's Central Doubles Rankings) at No. 3 doubles.

Blaskova was first off the court in singles play when at No. 6 singles, she tied the dual-match at one apiece by winning 6-3, 6-4 against Benito. Sant'Anna gave the Hurricane a 2-1 dual-match lead when she defeated Blasco Fernandez 7-5, 6-3 at No. 5 singles.

Kuricova extended No. 21 Tulsa's lead to 3-1 when she beat Schiller 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 singles. At No. 3 singles, Cichon gave the Hurricane a 4-1 advantage by winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 against Kovalova.

Victories by Saarteinen at No. 4 singles and Leenabanchong at No. 2 singles finished Saturday's dual-match and gave the Hurricane a 6-1 dual-match win. While Sararteinen defeated Stevens 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), Leenabanchong won 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) over Pedrazzi (this week's Missouri Valley Conference Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week).

Shocker women's tennis head coach Colin Foster knew this was a match the team let slip away.

"We had chances at every singles match to win this one today,” Foster said. “Unfortunately we didn't play well at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles today and not having the doubles point gave Tulsa just enough breathing room to hang in their and claw back into matches.

“Once the momentum swung in their favor they played well but no doubt this is one we let get away. We'll regroup and be more than hungry to go for conference play starting next weekend."

MVC play begins next weekend when the Shockers have a doubleheader in the state of Illinois on April 5. They will face Illinois State at noon and Bradley at 6 p.m.

-WICHITA STATE-

Tennis Match Results

Wichita State vs Tulsa

3/29/2014 at Tulsa, Okla.

(Michael D. Case Tennis Center)

 #21 Tulsa 6, #44 Wichita State 1

Singles competition

1. Renata Kuricova (TLS) def. Julia Schiller (WSUW) 1-6, 6-2, 6-4

2. Dobby Leenabanchong (TLS) def. Rebecca Pedrazzi (WSUW) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5)

3. Marcelina Cichon (TLS) def. Lucia Kovalova (WSUW) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2

4. Saana Saarteinen (TLS) def. Abby Stevens (WSUW) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(3)

5. Maria Sant'Anna (TLS) def. Montse B. Fernandez (WSUW) 7-5, 6-3

6. Veronika Blaskova (WSUW) def. Carol Benito (TLS) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Renata Kuricova/Marcelina Cichon (TLS) def. Lucia Kovalova/Veronika Blaskova (WSUW) 8-3

2. Rebecca Pedrazzi/Montse B. Fernandez (WSUW) def. Dobby Leenabanchong/Carol Benito (TLS) 8-1

3. Maria Sant'Anna/Saana Saarteinen (TLS) def. Abby Stevens/Julia Schiller (WSUW) 8-3

Match Notes:

Wichita State 11-6; National ranking #44

Tulsa 13-4; National ranking #21

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,5,1,3,4,2)

T-4:24 A-102