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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
0
Washburn WU (16-2)
4
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO (18-1)
Washburn WU
(16-2)
0
Final
4
Central Oklahoma UCO
(18-1)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis | | Chris Brannick

The 'Chos Are Champs

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma tennis team beat Washburn 4-0 Saturday afternoon at Edmond Center Court to win the 2021 MIAA Tournament Championship.
 
Central Oklahoma improved to 18-1 on the year with the win, its 16th in a row, and claimed its second consecutive tournament championship to take the MIAA's automatic qualification into the NCAA Tournament.
 
"I'm proud of the team for this weekend to come out and here and be focused and get it done," UCO head tennis coach Jaron Maestas said. "This was a goal of ours, it's not our final goal, but it was one of our goals. So to accomplish it is great and now we move on to the next one."
 
The Bronchos, who also won the MIAA regular season title with an 8-0 record in league play, found themselves in a tight battle in doubles play.
 
Washburn won No. 3 doubles 6-3 to put some pressure on Central, but the Bronchos responded with a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles and then took the point with a 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles.
 
Adel-Byanu Abidullina and Isabella Dunlap teamed up for the win at the top position while Mae Canete and Paola Landin fought off a pesky No. 2 doubles from Washburn.
 
As the final moved into singles play, Canete flew through her No. 2 singles match to put the Bronchos up 2-0. The freshman from L.A. won 6-0, 6-1.
 
Abidullina was next to register a win for the Bronchos, taking a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles. The sophomore from Moscow, Russia gave UCO a 3-0 lead in the match with her victory.
 
Central was near clinching on two matches.
 
Dunlap had already won the first set of her match at No. 3 singles 6-4 and held a 5-1 lead in the second set as the crowd gathered around her court. Landin also won the first set of her match at No. 4 singles 6-4 and she had a 5-3 lead in the second set as the Bronchos looked ready to take the title.
 
Dunlap would get the next point and the MIAA championship.
 
She won 6-4, 6-2 to give the Bronchos a 4-0 lead in the match. Landin didn't need another point. Blythe Buntrock (6-3, 3-6, 0-1) and Nikki Boyar (6-2, 3-6, 1-0) also abandoned their matches to join in on the celebration.
 
UCO won the 2019 MIAA Championship. There was no league tourney last season due to COVID.
 
Central Oklahoma won the 2021 regular season MIAA title by going 8-0 in league play this spring. The Bronchos not only went a perfect 8-0, but UCO also outscored its opponents a combined 53-3 in those eight matches.
 
Then in the two tournament matches this weekend, the Bronchos won 4-0 both times.
 
Central Oklahoma now turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament. UCO was selected to host the NCAA Central Regional at Edmond Center Court. That tournament begins next weekend (May 7-9).
 
The Central Regional champion will advance, along with seven others regional winners, to the 2021 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championship in Surprise, Ariz. May 19-21.
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