OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha women's tennis team opened the 2016 season Monday, falling a 7-0 to Kansas at the Jayhawk Tennis Center. The Mavericks are now 0-1 (0-0 Summit League) to start the season, while the Jayhawks improve to 1-0 (0-0 Big 12).
UNO and KU began the day with doubles play, with the Jayhawks seizing the doubles point. The Mavericks' No. 1 doubles team of juniors Hylan Miller and Kenzie Hill were defeated 6-1 by Nina Khmelnitckaia and Janet Koch. Sophomore Michelle Lo and senior Molly Matricardi teamed up at No. 2, falling 6-1 to Maria Jose Cardona and Summer Collins, while junior Allison Johnson and freshman Janelle Wilson fell by a score of 6-2 to Anastasiya Rychagova and Smith Hinton.
The first singles match pitted Rychagova and Miller in the No. 1 position, with Rychagova winning 6-0, 6-1. The Jayhawks picked up another victory at No. 3 with Khmelnitckaia topping Wilson, 6-1, 6-1. At No. 4, Collins defeated Hill, 6-3, 6-2.
Martricardi, in the No. 2 slot, took Hinton to the wire in the first set but ultimately dropped the match, 7-5, 6-1. KU concluded the match with two more singles wins, as Koch defeated Johnson at No. 5 (6-1, 6-1), and sophomore Hannah Hills surrendered to Cardona at No. 6 (6-0, 6-0).
"We played a great opponent with Kansas today," head coach Mike Saniuk said. "We walked off the court knowing we've learned as a team from this match. Seeing tough competition this early in the season only makes us better and prepares us for the challenges of league play later in the year."
Omaha returns to action on Friday, Jan. 29, visiting Drake at 4 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa.
KANSAS 7, OMAHA 0
Singles
1. Anastasiya Rychagova (KU) def. Hylan Miller (UNO) 6-0, 6-1
2. Smith Hinton (KU) def. Molly Matricardi (UNO) 7-5, 6-1
3. Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Janelle Wilson (UNO) 6-1, 6-1
4. Summer Collins (KU) def. Kenzie Hill (UNO) 6-3, 6-2
5. Janet Koch (KU) def. Allison Johnson (UNO) 6-1, 6-1
6. Maria Jose Cardona (KU) def. Hannah Hills (UNO) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1. Nina Khmelnitckaia/Janet Koch (KU) def. Hylan Miller/Kenzie Hill (UNO) 6-1
2. Maria Jose Cardona/Summer Collins (KU) def. Michelle Lo/Molly Matricardi (UNO) 6-1
3. Anastasiya Rychagova/Smith Hinton (KU) def. Allison Johnson/Janelle Wilson (UNO) 6-2
