No. 22 WT Tops Kansas in 2022 Home Opener

Friday, January 28

Waco, Texas

2PM

Baylor

Kansas

No. 22 WT Tops Kansas in 2022 Home Opener

1/28/2022 6:23:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score ITAKOW 2 BU KU

Bears advance to championship match vs. USC

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Alina Shcherbinina and Anita Sahdiieva might be classified as freshmen, "but "they definitely didn't look like freshmen today," Baylor coach Joey Scrivano said.
            Remaining unbeaten in the spring dual-match season, Schcherbinina and Sahdiieva lost only seven games combined in straight-set singles victories and also won their doubles match to help 22^nd-ranked Baylor (2-1) defeat Kansas, 4-1, Friday afternoon at the Hurd Tennis Center in the first round of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
            "It's what we've talked about with this recruiting class. The future's bright," said Scrivano, whose top-seeded team advances to face 15^th-ranked and third-seeded USC at 2 p.m. Saturday. "Alina and Anita are just great competitors and performers. They're just really strong players, and they're going to be the backbone of this team in the future."
            With Baylor and Kansas (0-2) splitting at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles, the opening point came down to a matchup at the No. 1 spot. Ranked fourth, the Bears' senior duo of Alicia Herrero and Mel Krywoj rallied from a 2-5 deficit and then dominated the tiebreaker in beating the Jayhawks' Maria Titova and Malkia Nguonoue, 7-6(1).
            "Allie and Mel are tough, they really did a great job of competing, and they didn't let the score distract them," Scrivano said. "They made a really nice adjustment when they got down a break. Credit our girls on their return adjustment to break them, stay in the present and then find a way to finish strong."
            Carrying that momentum over to singles, the Bears won five of the six first sets and then clinched it with straight-set wins at Nos. 3, 5 and 6.
            The Jayhawks squared the match at 1-1, with Titova defeating Alabama transfer Isabella Harvison, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. But, Baylor answered that with Paula Baranano's 6-2, 6-2 win on Court 6 over KU freshman Mariana Manyona-Velasquez.
            Sahdiieva made quick work of Tiffany Lagarde, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 4, then Scherbinina clinched it by beating Sonia Smagina, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 3. Unfinished at the other two spots, Herrero was leading KU's Raphaella Lacasse, 6-2, 4-3, at No. 4; and Krywoj won a first-set tiebreaker over Malkia Nguonoue at No. 1, but trailed 4-0 in the second set.
            "The team was just really present, and they were focused," Scrivano said. "That was a good win, because Kansas is a tough team. They're going to have a great year."
            In the other first-round matchup, USC (4-0) bounced back from a doubles point loss to defeat Miami, 4-3, in an instant classic that came down to a third-set tiebreaker at No. 6 singles. The Trojans' Danielle Wilson won a pair of tiebreakers in beating Miami's Maya Tahan, 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(6).
            "They're the heavy favorite in this regional," Scrivano said of USC, which has four singles players and two doubles tandems ranked nationally. "Honestly, I don't understand how they're ranked where they are. USC is a hot bed for recruiting. They get the best talent year-in and year-out. But, there's a reason why we play these matches. We're going to prepare and do everything we can to give ourselves the best chance."
            The winner of Saturday's championship match advances to the ITA National Indoor Championship Feb. 11-14 in Madison, Wis.

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – No. 22 Baylor women's tennis (2-1) opened up its spring home slate with a 4-1 win over Kansas (0-2) as part of the ITA Kickoff Weekend Friday afternoon at Hurd Tennis Center.

The Bears clinched the doubles point as the freshmen duo of Alina Shcherbinina and Anita Sahdiieva made quick work of Sonia Smagina and Tiffany Lagarde, 6-1, on court No. 2.

Isabella Harvison and Paula Barañano battled on court No. 3 but fell, 7-5, to Raphaelle Lacasse and Mariana Manyoma-Velasquez.

It all came down to court No. 1 where the nation's No. 4 doubles tandem of Mel Krywoj and Alicia Herrero Linana prevailed in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (6-1).

Kansas answered back to tie things up at 1 with a win on court No. 2 when Maria Titova topped Harvison, 6-0, 6-1.

It was all Baylor from there as three-straight wins clinched the match for the Bears.

Barañano defeated Manyoma-Velasquez, 6-2, 6-2, on court No. 6. Sahdiieva topped Lagarde, 6-1, 6-1, on court No. 5. No. 97 Shcherbinina sealed the deal for the Bears with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Smagina on court No. 3.

HIGHLIGHTS

Freshmen duo Alina Shcherbinina and Anita Sahdiieva each move to 3-0 records in singles action as well as 3-0 together in doubles on the spring season.
Mel Krywoj made her 2022 spring debut as she missed the season-opening tournament in Las Vegas due to injury.
Transfer Isabella Harvison, along with Shcherbinina and Sahdiieva, played in their first dual match at Hurd Tennis Center as Bears.

TOP QUOTES
Joey Scrivano on the day…
"Just a great performance. The athletes were ready to play. Did a great job of staying present and performing and that's all you can ask for."

UP NEXT
No. 22 Baylor takes on No. 15 USC at 2 p.m. Saturday for a bid to the ITA National Indoors.

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