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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Blythe Buntrock
1
Washburn WU (17-3)
4
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO (20-1)
Washburn WU
(17-3)
1
Final
4
Central Oklahoma UCO
(20-1)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis | | Chris Brannick

REGIONAL CHAMPS!

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma tennis team will make its third consecutive trip to nationals following a 4-1 win over Washburn in the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Central Regional Final Sunday morning at Edmond Center Court.
 
UCO (20-1) dropped the doubles point Sunday for just the third time all season but rebounded with four quick wins in singles play to clinch the match and punch its ticket to Surprise, Arizona for the national finals.
 
Central Oklahoma, along with seven other regional winners, will meet up in Arizona for May 19-21.
 
"We're not done yet," UCO head tennis coach Jaron Maestas said. "I'm proud of the team today, most importantly for bouncing back. We lost doubles and we had to fight for it after that. They all were focused on winning and got it done and now we still have a chance at our goal. We're not done yet."
 
Central Oklahoma beat Washburn Sunday for the third time this season. The two MIAA schools met in Edmond on UCO's campus April 2 and the Bronchos won 6-1. They met again last week in the MIAA Championship, also in Edmond, and Central won 4-0. The third meeting, again in Edmond, for the NCAA Central Regional Championship, wasn't much different than the first two.
 
Mae Canete and Paola Landin picked up a win at No. 2 doubles, 6-1, but WU answered with a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles to send all the attention to the top position, where Central would drop a 7-5 setback and concede the doubles point.
 
But trailing 1-0 didn't cause any concern, and perhaps pushed the Bronchos where they needed to be.
 
Canete won at No. 2 singles and did so in a hurry. The freshman cruised 6-0, 6-0 to tie the match 1-1. Shortly after that, Blythe Buntrock gave the Bronchos a 2-1 lead with her 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles.
 
The next two points, and the last two, came nearly at the same time.
 
Adel-Byanu Abidullina would get the next point with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles and seemingly in the same moment as Central celebrated going up 3-1 in the match, Nikki Boyar clinched it with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 6 singles to send the Bronchos into a frenzy.
 
Central Oklahoma is the No. 3 ranked team in the country in the most recent ITA national poll and at 20-1 overall this season, takes an 18-match win streak to Arizona.
 
The Bronchos qualified for nationals in 2018 and made it to the national quarterfinals. UCO went again in 2019 and made it to the Round of 16. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID. Now Central will return to the national stage with its goal still ahead.
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