Women's Tennis 4/8/2022 1:31:00 PM Chris Brannick

No. 5 Central Oklahoma Visits Missouri Western

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – No. 5 Central Oklahoma returns to the courts this weekend for more MIAA tennis with the Bronchos visiting Missouri Western State University Saturday at noon.

Central Oklahoma is 10-1 this season and has a 3-0 record in league play. Missouri Western is 12-2 overall and is also 3-0 in MIAA matches.

"They are doing a great job this season and this should be a good match," UCO first-year head tennis coach Joe Vann said. "We've been playing really well too so we need to focus on playing our game and be ready to play on Saturday."

Missouri Western is ranked 57th in this week's ITA national ranking.

Central Oklahoma has six individuals nationally ranked this week, with four of them appearing in the ITA's Singles Top 75 and two pairs appearing in the ITA's Doubles Top 50.

Mae Canete comes in at No. 2 in the national singles rankings. The sophomore All-American is 8-2 this season. Her two losses came at the hands of the No. 1 ranked DII player in the country and the No. 1 ranked JUCO player in the country. She is 43-3 in her short career with the Bronchos.

Christine Canete, a freshman, is 9-1 this season and is ranked No. 7 in the country. Her only loss was a medical forfeit. She has played to an 8-1 record at the No. 2 position for Central and is 1-0 playing at No. 1 singles.

Adel-Byanu Abidullina, a two-time MIAA Player of the Year, is 9-0 this Spring and is ranked No. 21 in the country in the latest ITA Singles Top 75.

Grace Chadick, another freshman who is 6-4 this season, is ranked No. 68 in this week's ITA rankings.

UCO also relies on points from Tizia Brocks (7-3), Nikki Boyar (4-0), Blythe Buntrock (3-2) and Lexi Penn (2-0).

As the matches begin with doubles, UCO rolls out some power.

The Canete sisters are ranked No. 2 in the country this week. They won the fall ITA national doubles championship and have a 9-2 record this spring together on the court.

Abidullina and Brocks are 9-1 in doubles play and Boyar and Buntrock, ranked No. 36 in this week's ITA Doubles Top 50, are 5-2 this season.

Central Oklahoma only has this dual with Missouri Western on the schedule this week but the Bronchos will go into high gear next weekend.

UCO is scheduled to host Fort Hays State and Nebraska Kearney in MIAA competition Thursday and Friday before traveling to Angelo State for a rescheduled non-conference match on Saturday.

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Players Mentioned

Adel-Byanu Abidullina: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Nikki Boyar: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Lexi Penn: 5' 5"; Freshman

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

Nikki Boyar
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Lexi Penn
: 5' 5"; Freshman

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