HOUSTON – The No. 49 Wichita State women's tennis team was routed by the No. 48/43 Rice Owls, 4-0, on Tuesday afternoon at George R. Brown Tennis Center.
 
The loss for the Shockers (12-8) marks their first time losing back-to-back matches since late January when they lost three in a row.
 
In doubles, Rice quickly put on the pressure with a swift 6-0 win over Anne Knuettel and Tatyana Nikolenko, to take the early doubles advantage.
 
The Shockers looked poised to take victory on court two as Kristina Kudryavtseva and Theodora Chantava held a 5-1 lead, but the advantage was not enough as Rice won six straight games to win the match 7-5 to take the doubles point.
 
In singles, Rice poured it on, taking the first set on all six singles courts. 
 
Nikolenko was the first to fall, losing 6-0, 6-2 at court five.
 
Next, Chantava lost a tight match 6-3, 6-3 at court four, putting the Owls on the edge of victory.
 
The No. 48/43 Owls clinched the win with a 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 over Kudryavtseva, ending the match with a 4-0 Rice victory.

Next up, the Shockers open play in the American Athletic Conference Championship on April 17 at Leftwich Tennis Center in Memphis, Tenn.