LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s tennis team wrapped up its regular season against UCF on Senior Day, falling 4-3 at the Jayhawk Tennis Center on Sunday.
Jocelyn Massey was the lone Jayhawk senior recognized on Senior Day. Massey is a transfer student from Las Cruces, New Mexico, and has been a part of the Kansas women’s tennis program and has played in over 40 matches in her two seasons as a Jayhawk. In her time at KU, she’s posted a 9-21 singles record playing either the No. 4, 5 or 6 spot and 27-18 doubles record across all three courts.
The day started with Big 12 newcomer UCF for the first-ever contest between the two programs and the last regular season Big 12 match.
It was a three-hour back-and-forth battle with high stakes on the line as both teams entered the match tied for seventh in the Big 12 with a 6-6 record.
The Jayhawks struck early as the No. 1 doubles duo of Gracie Mulville and Maria Titova won 6-2 over Noel Saidenova and Anique Kattenberg while Kyoka Kubo and Jocelyn Massey earned a 6-1 victory against Jantje Tilbuerger and Sophia Biolay on court 2 for a 1-0 KU lead. Heike Janse Van Vuuren and Jasmine Adams found themselves in a tight contest with Donatella Guarnieri and Olivia Lincer on court 3 as they trailed 5-3 in an unfinished match.
UCF came back and won the first three singles matches in straight sets to swing a 3-1 lead.
Mulville lost 6-0, 7-5 (3) on court 1, Van Vuuren fell 6-0, 7-5 on court 3 and Titova was trumped 6-3, 6-2 against #97 Saidenova in No. 2 singles.
Jasmine Adams was the only Jayhawk that won her first set, 6-2, in No. 6 singles, but dropped her second 7-5. She recovered in the third set, 6-3, for her first Big 12 victory of the season.
In No. 4 singles, Kubo lost her first set 7-5 before bouncing back for a 6-4 in set two to force the third set. In the third set, Kubo won with a 6-2 advantage to tie the contest back up at 3-3.
Massey captured an early lead in her first set on court 5 against Kattenberg but ended up falling in the first set, 7-5. The second set was just as tight as Massey returned the favor winning 7-5 to force an extra set. Kattenberg struck hard as she defeated Massey 2-6 in the final set for the 4-3 UCF victory.
UCF improves to 7-6 in the Big 12 and 9-11 on the year as KU finished conference play at 6-7 and drops to 10-13 overall.
The Jayhawks will compete in the Big 12 Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma from April 17-20. Bracket and more information will be available at a later date.
