Women's Tennis 5/13/2019 4:49:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO To Face Southern Arkansas In NCAA Tournament Opener

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma tennis team makes its return to the NCAA Tournament Tuesday with a Central Regional second-round matchup against Southern Arkansas at Broncho Courts with first serve set to go up at 1 p.m.

Central Oklahoma (18-4) is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Central Regional. SAU (25-4) is the No. 4 seed and beat fifth-seeded Southwest Baptist 4-3 on Monday to advance.

"Our goal is to win a national championship and that starts with the first game in the postseason," UCO head tennis coach Jaron Maestas said. "You have to be focused on the next match and be completely focused and locked in. We need to be in that mindset tomorrow."

Central Oklahoma is ranked seventh in the country. The Muleriders of Magnolia, Ark. are ranked 25th.

UCO is led into the postseason by a quartet of nationally-ranked singles players, including two of the top-five players in the country.

Adel-Byanu Abidullina is ranked second in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association's national singles rankings and Isabella Dunlap is ranked fifth. The two – both freshmen – have won a combined 44 matches in singles competition this season.

Paola Landin and Nikki Boyar also make appearances in the ITA's rankings. Landin, a sophomore, has a team-high 25 wins this season and is ranked 54th nationally. Boyar, a freshman with 23 wins, is ranked 70th.

Southern Arkansas is led by Joanna Nowakowska, who is ranked 67th nationally.

The winner of Tuesday's matchup will advance to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. next week.

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Players Mentioned

Paola Landin: 5' 0"; Sophomore

Isabella Dunlap: 5' 2"; Freshman

Adel-Byanu Abidullina: 5' 10"; Freshman

Nikki Boyar: 5' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Paola Landin
: 5' 0"; Sophomore

Isabella Dunlap
: 5' 2"; Freshman

Adel-Byanu Abidullina
: 5' 10"; Freshman

Nikki Boyar
: 5' 2"; Freshman