Women's Tennis 10/8/2018 9:21:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Shows Power At SMU Invitational

DALLAS – The University of Central Oklahoma tennis team had a strong showing at the SMU Invitational this weekend, as the team wrapped up its fall competition schedule at the SMU Tennis Complex against a Division I loaded field.

"I am so proud of this team," UCO head tennis coach Jaron Maestas said. "We didn't take all of our girls down there and we were out of our element a little playing some big-time DIs, but we never even flinched. This team is very good, and to see them compete and win like they did this weekend was pretty special."

Kirtana Bhat took top honors in her singles draw over teammate Adel Byanu. Byanu defaulted to Bhat in the All-UCO finals match after the two had just walked off the court from taking third place in their respective doubles draw.

Bhat beat Judit Castillo Gargallo of Northwestern State (La.) in the first round before taking down Central Arkansas' Mei Ishimura in the semis. Byanu beat UT-Arlington's Almudena Boza in the first round before knocking off Danielle Morris of Austin Peay in the semifinals.

The duo won their first doubles match of the weekend on Friday, beating a Houston pair 6-2. The Bronchos lost in the semifinals 6-3 before taking third place honors with a win over Northwestern State, 6-2.

Paola Landin took fourth-place in her singles draw. She beat Marli VanHeerden of Central Arkansas 6-2, 6-1 in the first round on Friday afternoon before a setback in Saturday's semifinals. She lost the third-place match Sunday as well.

But Landin, with teammate Nikki Boyar, won the third-place match in doubles play. The two beat Van Heerden and Ishimura of UCA 6-4 on Friday before falling by the same score Saturday. In Sunday's third-place showdown, Landin and Boyar beat Boza and Carla Pons from UTA 7-6 (3) to win the match.

Boyar was the only Broncho to lose on Friday in first-round competition, falling 6-2, 6-1 to Texas A&M Corpus Christi's Myu Kageyama. But Boyar responded. She beat Ana Albertson of Austin Peay 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 and then Central Arkansas' Yada Vasupongchai 6-3, 6-3 in the fifth-place consolation final.

The Bronchos are done as a team in the fall, but Central has its biggest fall competition on the docket for this weekend. Isabella Dunlap didn't go to the SMU Invite because she was home in Edmond training. Dunlap recently won the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Championship and will compete in the NCAA Division II national championship in Rome, Ga. beginning Friday.

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Players Mentioned

Kirtana Bhat: 5' 7"; Senior

Paola Landin: 5' 0"; Sophomore

Isabella Dunlap: 5' 2"; Freshman

Adel-Byanu Abidullina: 5' 10"; Freshman

Nikki Boyar: 5' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Kirtana Bhat
: 5' 7"; Senior

Paola Landin
: 5' 0"; Sophomore

Isabella Dunlap
: 5' 2"; Freshman

Adel-Byanu Abidullina
: 5' 10"; Freshman

Nikki Boyar
: 5' 2"; Freshman