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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
1
Missouri Western MWSU (18-6)
4
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO (21-1)
Missouri Western MWSU
(18-6)
1
Final
4
Central Oklahoma UCO
(21-1)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis | | Chris Brannick

UCO Headed To Sweet 16

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma is heading to the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive season after a 4-1 win against Missouri Western Saturday in the NCAA Division II Central Regional at Edmond Center Court.
 
UCO will head to Altamonte Springs, Florida May 17-21 for NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship. The Bronchos improved to 21-1 on the season with the win Saturday.
 
"It's always good when you get to check off a goal and we did again today," first-year head tennis coach Joe Vann said. "We've checked off a few this season and we're ready to go after the next one in Florida."
 
Central Oklahoma beat Missouri Western 7-0 in Edmond during the regular season, then again last week, 4-0, in the MIAA Championship. The Bronchos made it 3-for-3 Saturday with a 4-1 win.
 
This third installment was the closest contest.
 
Central Oklahoma won at No. 1 doubles with Mae Canete and Christine Canete earning a 6-0 victory. The No. 1 ranked team in the country needed just 24 minutes to finish off their match.
 
But at No. 2 doubles, Adel-Byanu Abidullina and Tizia Brocks were tied 5-5, and at No. 3 doubles, Nikki Boyar and Blythe Buntrock were tied, 6-6.
 
Missouri Western picked up a 7-5 win over Abidullina and Brocks. It snapped a 12-match win streak by the UCO duo and was just their second loss all season.
 
For Central though, Boyar and Buntrock pulled through with a 7-6 win at No. 3 to clinch the doubles point for the Bronchos.
 
As play turned to singles, it would be Christine Canete that pushed the UCO lead to 2-0. The MIAA Freshman of the Year won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles in just over one hour.
 
Abidullina then won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 singles to give UCO a 3-0 lead in the match and put the Bronchos just a point away from victory in the dual.
 
Missouri Western scored its first and only point against the Bronchos in three matches with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 6 singles over Buntrock. That made it 3-1.
 
Then Mae Canete finished it off, sending the Bronchos to the Sweet 16.
 
Mae won 6-1, 7-5 in 1 hour, 21 minutes to give Central Oklahoma the deciding fourth point and then a celebration ensued.
 
Grace Chadick was in a third set at No. 4 singles and Brocks was about to force a third set at No. 5 singles when the match ended.
 
Central Oklahoma went to the Sweet 16 in 2018 and picked up a win against West Virginia State. The Bronchos lost in the Sweet 16 in 2019 to Azusa Pacific and there was no national tournament in 2020.
 
Last season, UCO's Sweet 16 appearance came in the regional final as the NCAA condensed the national field. The Bronchos then won their first ever Elite 8 matchup before falling in the national semifinals to Barry University.
 
The NCAA will re-seed the remaining 16 squads this week and the final bracket will be announced then.
 
UCO is 21-1 this season following a 21-2 campaign in 2021.
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