WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State women's team got back in the win column Saturday, knocking off North Texas 4-2 at the Crestview Country Club.
 
10^th YEAR HEAD COACH COLIN FOSTER ON..
 
…reeling off four singles win:
"We came out with great energy in the singles. Fatya (Bizhukova) just played a really focused, composed match right from the start and set the tone for the whole team. Esther (Thebault) and Sarvi (Saidhujaeva) were in some tight first sets and just toughed it out and then got a little bit of momentum and were able to close it out in straight sets.
 
…..doubles play:
"It was a disappointing doubles point, we've got to kind of get back to the drawing board in doubles a little bit. We were so efficient at the start of the year in that area, and it has taken a step back. We'll address it and get better. It was really good to see us put that behind us in the singles and get right down to business. Certainly the doubles is an area that we are going to have to take a look at and we've got work to do in everyone's game and to finish the season strong and accomplish some things we want to accomplish. We've got some work to do but we know we've got the motivation to do it in the practice and the opportunities to do it in the matches with what remains in our schedule."
 
---Ting-Ya (Hsu) and Alexandra (Lazarova's) strong play in flights five and six.
" Having to wait to begin their matches, it is always a tough situation but it is the same for both players. They both came out and got down to business and got themselves up a set and put a lot of scoreboard pressure on the other side. Alex (Lazarova) did well to close it out and Tina (Hsu) has been playing at a high level even though she didn't get to finish her match today. She's been working hard and playing well."
 
DOUBLES
North Texas claimed the doubles point with wins on court one and three. Esther Thebault and Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva gave the Shockers some early momentum with a 6-1 win on court two over Ivana Babic and Alexandra Hecsey in the second slot. The Mean Green followed with a 6-4 win on court three, where Nidhi Surapaneni and Minying Ling dropped Ting-Ya Hsu and Sandra Honigova to leave it on court one. It was a battle of top-50 teams in the first slot, where Marta Bellucco and Fatima Bizhukova, who rank No. 25, took on No. 44-ranked Tamuna Kutubidze and Maria Kononova. The Shocker duo fell behind early, before tying the match at five. Kutubidze and Kononova rallied to take the final two games and the doubles point.
 
SINGLES
The Shockers grabbed four singles points to clinch the match over the Mean Green. Bizhukova, who entered this week's rankings at No. 121, rolled over No. 77-ranked Kutubidze – 6-1, 6-2 to tie the match at one early. Thebault followed in the third spot, where she took down Hecsey in straight sets (7-5, 6-1).
 
In the fourth slot, Saidhujaeva took on Babic in a tight match. Saidhujaeva won a close first (7-6 (2) and followed with a 6-1 second set win to give the No. 44-ranked Shockers a 3-1 advantage. The Mean Green answered on court two, where Kononova took a three-set marathon match with Honigova. Honigova fell in the first set, but answered in the second to force a decisive third. After going back and forth, Kononova won in a tiebreaker to give the Mean Green their second point.
 
Alexandra Lazarova made her way into the lineup, taking on Minying Liang in the sixth position. The sophomore picked up her first win in the sixth flight with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Minying Liang to clinch the 4-2 win for the Shockers.
 
Hsu was up a set (6-4) and led 4-3 in the second over Surapaneni on court five before play was suspended.
 
The Shockers are back on the court this Saturday when they take on Drake and UMKC in a doubleheader in Kansas City.
 

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#44 Wichita State , North Texas 2
 
 Doubles Results
1. #44 Tamuna Kutubidze/Maria Kononova (UNT) def. #25 Fatima Bizhukova/Marta Bellucco (WSU), 7-5
2. Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva/Esther Thebault (WSU) def. Ivana Babic/ Alexandra Hecsey (UNT), 6-1
3. Nidhi Surapaneni/Minying Liang (UNT) def. Sandra Honigova/Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU), 6-4
 
Singles Results
1. #121 Fatima Bizhukova (WSU) def. # 77 Tamuna Kutubidze (UNT), 6-1, 6-2
2. Maria Kononova (UNT) def. Sandra Honigova (WSU), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
3. Esther Thebault (WSU) def. Alexandra Hecsey (UNT), 7-5, 6-1
4. Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva (WSU) def. Ivana Babic (UNT) 7-6 (2), 6-1
5. Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU) vs. Nidhi Surapaneni (UNT), 6-4, 4-3, uf.
6. Alexandra Lazarova (WSU) def. Minying Liang (UNT), 6-4, 6-1