WICHITA, Kan. - - No. 34 Wichita State dropped a close one to No. 19 UCF, Sunday afternoon at Genesis Health Club.
 
The dual between the two top-50 programs saw five singles matches go to three sets, with two going unfinished in the third set tied at six.
 
HEAD COACH COLIN FOSTER
"It was just a great match for both teams. Give UCF credit, they played well in doubles. I think we came out just a little flatter than we did against Kansas State. Maybe that was just UCF raising their level and taking it to us. In three doubles we played great, it was just the top two spots where we came out maybe a little slow. In singles, I thought we gave it our all on every single court. As a coach, that all you can ask for. For Gabby and Giulia, they've meant so much to this program and I know it's tough for the team and Giulia individually to come up short on Senior Day. Hopefully they don't hang their heads too long, they've had incredible careers and have a ton to be proud of. We've got a lot to look forward to in the postseason, we are playing really good tennis and today's result doesn't change that one bit."
 
DOUBLES
UCF claimed wins on courts one and two to take the doubles point from the Shockers. Gabriela Porubin and Sarvinoz Sadihujaeva took down Natalia Serrano and Monica Matias 6-3 to get ahead early. The 51st-ranked Knight duo of Maria Martinez and Ksenia Kuznetsova put away Fatima Bizhukova and Marta Bellucco, who rank No. 64, 6-3 on court one. Silvia Bordes and Rebeka Stolmar followed suit with a 6-3 victory over Shockers Giulia Guidetti and Ting-Ya Hsu.

SINGLES
Matches on courts one through six were battles, with UCF slipping away in the end. Senior Gabriela Porubin tied the match at one with a three-set victory over Matias. After dropping the first set 6-0, the senior from Moldova battled back to win the final two sets, 6-3, 6-3 to earn the Senior Day victory. UCF took the lead after Bordes dropped Saidhujaeva in flight six, 7-5, 6-4. The match was the only two-set match of the day. Guidetti took on No. 120 ranked Stolmar, who came into the match with a 17-1 record, on court three. Guidetti controlled the first set, winning 7-5. Stolmar rallied back to win the final two sets over the senior, 6-3, 6-2. Serrano and Bellucco battled in flight five. Bellucco ran away in the first set, winning 6-4. Serrano battled her way back in the second set, claiming a 7-6 (5) tiebreaker, and 6-3 win in the third set to clinch the match for the Knights.
 
The two top flights, with Bizhukova /Martinez and Honigova/Kuznetsova were full of drama and excitement. Bizhukova, who ranks 56th, won 6-0 in the first set over Martinez. Martinez rallied past Bizhukova in a tiebreaker, (7-6(6)) to claim the second. In the third set, the two scratched and clawed in a back and forth battle, before the match went unfinished tied at six.
 
The match of the day was on court two, where Honigova and Kuznetsova went up against each other. Honigova won the first set handily, 6-2 before dropping the second 6-3. The third set was one to watch. The two went after each other, matching point for point. Honigova saved match point on multiple occasions. In the tiebreaker, Honigova trailed 5-3 before rallying to tie it at six before going unfinished.
 
Wichita State returns to play on in Dallas, Texas, starting next Thursday, April 19 at the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

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