Women's Tennis 5/18/2021 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Resumes Postseason Wednesday

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The University of Central Oklahoma tennis team is set to resume its postseason title quest Wednesday with a matchup against Indiana (Pa.) in the NCAA Division II National Championship Quarterfinals. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT).

Central Oklahoma is 20-1 this season and has won 18 in a row. The Bronchos, winners of the MIAA regular season crown as well as the league's postseason tournament championship, are coming off a Central Regional championship too heading into the quarterfinals.

Ranked No. 3 in the country in the latest ITA poll and seeded third in the national tournament, UCO has posted a combined doubles record of 44-12 in 21 matches this season, winning the doubles point in a match 18 out of 21 times.

In singles play, the Bronchos have been just as dominant. UCO has a combined record of 95-10 in singles matches this season, a blistering 90.5 win percentage.

Adel-Byanu Abidullina, currently ranked fifth in the ITA Top 50 Singles, has a 16-1 record as Central's top singles player. The sophomore is a two-time MIAA Player of the Year winner and has won 14 consecutive matches.

Mae Canete, ranked seventh in the ITA Top 50 Singles, is 19-0 this season as UCO's No. 2. The freshman, and MIAA Freshman of the Year, has not only posted a perfect record this season, but has only lost two sets all year.

Isabella Dunlap, currently ranked 33rd in the ITA Top 50 Singles, posts a 14-3 record as the No. 3 player in the lineup. Dunlap has won nine straight singles matches and is 12-1 after a 2-2 start in February.

Central's three other positions don't include nationally ranked players however, the level of play doesn't drop off.

Paola Landin is 13-2 at the No. 4 position, Blythe Buntrock is 14-1 at the No. 5 spot, and Nikki Boyar is 15-2 playing at No. 6.

Before all those wins in singles, Central boasts a dominating doubles lineup.

Abidullina and Dunlap are the No. 1 doubles team and are ranked second in the nation in the ITA Top 25 Doubles. The duo is 16-1 this season.

Canete and Landin makeup the No. 2 position and that duo, with a 14-2 record, is ranked No. 13 in the latest ITA Top 25 Doubles rankings.

Buntrock and Boyar play at No. 3 and that duo is 13-6 this season.

The Crimson Hawks from Indiana, Pennsylvania enter the national quarterfinals for the first time in school history. IUP is 15-3 overall this season and won the PSAC regular season and postseason tournament. The team then won two matches against ranked opponents in the NCAA Atlantic Regional to advance to the quarterfinals.

The winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup will advance to the national semifinals Thursday – to be played at 11 a.m. (CT). The two-seed in the tournament, Barry, is playing seventh-seeded Franklin Pierce.

Here is the complete schedule for the national championship.

NCAA DII Women's Tennis National Championship
At Surprise, Ariz.
Surprise Tennis Center
Wednesday, May 19
Quarterfinals
All Matches at 11 a.m. (CT)
(1) UIndy vs. (8) St. Mary's
(2) Barry vs. (7) Franklin Pierce
(3) Central Oklahoma vs. (6) Indiana, Pa.
(4) Columbus State vs. (5) Hawaii Pacific
Thursday, May 20
Semifinals
All Matches at 11 a.m. (CT)
UI/SMU winner vs. Barry/FPU winner
UCO/IUP winner vs. CSU/HPU winner
Friday, May 21
National Championship
Semifinal winners, 11 a.m. (CT)

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Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Nikki Boyar: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Isabella Dunlap: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Paola Landin: 5' 0"; Junior

Mae Canete: 5' 3"; Freshman

Blythe Buntrock: 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Nikki Boyar
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Isabella Dunlap
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Paola Landin
: 5' 0"; Junior

Mae Canete
: 5' 3"; Freshman

Blythe Buntrock
: 5' 8"; Freshman