Women's Tennis 4/24/2022 2:17:00 PM Chris Brannick

Back-to-Back MIAA Champs!

Central Oklahoma Wins Second Consecutive MIAA Women's Tennis Regular Season Championship

TOPEKA, Kan. - Central Oklahoma wrapped up the 2022 regular season Sunday with an MIAA match at Washburn.

The Bronchos won 7-0, as they did in six of eight league matches this season. UCO also posted an 8-0 record in league play and with the win over previously unbeaten Washburn on Sunday, Central Oklahoma is the 2022 MIAA Women's Tennis regular season champion.

"I'm proud of the team for staying the course," UCO head tennis coach Joe Van said. "This being my first year, and most of them going through this last year winning a title, we knew that was the goal and it's great to see it through. They did a great job today finishing off the goal. Now we move on to the next goal in the postseason."

Central Oklahoma went 8-1 in the MIAA in the 2017-18 season, finishing runners-up to an unbeaten champ. UCO went 7-1 in the MIAA in the 2018-19 season, again finishing runners-up to an unbeaten champ (Washburn).

The 2019-20 season was cancelled due to the pandemic, but it's been all Bronchos on the other side.

Central went 8-0 in the MIAA in 2020-21 to claim its first regular season championship. And now Central finishes the 2021-22 season 8-0 for its second title. The Bronchos have won 18 consecutive matches in league play. The last loss was to Washburn on April 6, 2019.

Sunday was a similar story within the match. UCO won 7-0 for the sixth time in eight league matches this Spring.

The Bronchos picked up the doubles point with wins by Mae Canete and Christine Canete at No. 1 and by Adel-Byanu Abidullina and Tizia Brocks at No. 2.

Abidullina clinched the doubles point with her and Brocks's win, then she flew through her Singles match. The powerful Moscow, Russia native, who is a two-time MIAA Player of the Year recipient, won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 Singles to give Central Oklahoma a 2-0 lead in the match.

Brocks followed suit, picking up a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 5 Singles to give Central a 3-0 lead in the match.

Mae Canete was minutes behind Brocks finishing off her singles opponent. She won 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 Singles to clinch the match and the championship for the Bronchos.

Christine Canete's 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2 Singles made it 5-0.

Central had to work a little harder for the last two points.

Grace Chadick won her first set 6-1, but fell 6-4 in the second set. She went into a third-set tiebreaker and won 10-4 to take the point and make it a 6-0 match.

Blythe Buntrock lost her first set, 6-1, but she responded in a big way, winning 6-2 in the second set and 7-5 in the third set.

Central Oklahoma wrapped up the 2022 regular season with a 17-1 overall record and an 8-0 record in conference. The Bronchos now head to the postseason, though UCO won't have to travel far.

Central Oklahoma is hosting the 2022 MIAA Tennis Championship at Edmond Center Court next week. The top eight teams in the league will convene in Edmond for the Quarterfinals on Friday morning. The Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday and the 2022 MIAA Championship match is scheduled for Sunday, May 1 at 10 a.m. at Edmond Center Court.

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Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Blythe Buntrock: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Mae Canete: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Tizia Brocks: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

Christine Canete: 5' 5"; Freshman

Grace Chadick: 5' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Blythe Buntrock
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Mae Canete
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Tizia Brocks
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student

Christine Canete
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Grace Chadick
: 5' 6"; Freshman