Season Ends In Second Round At Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. – Washington’s impressive 2023 came to a close today with a 4-1 loss to 13th-ranked Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships on OU’s home courts. The Huskies had their best tourney finish since 2019, a Pac-12 semifinals run, and a final record of 18-9. The Sooners advance to the 16-team Super Regional.
 
The Dawgs saw senior farewells today for Ashley Chang, Hikaru Sato, and Jennifer Kerr. Kerr had the one point for the Dawgs today as she posted a straight set victory at No. 4 singles, and she finishes her stellar 2023 with a 19-6 dual record, best on the team.
 
Sato earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors this year, leading UW at the No. 1 singles spot, though she was unable to upset Oklahoma’s 50th-ranked Layne Sleeth today, falling 6-4, 6-1 in her collegiate finale.
 
Oklahoma opened with a doubles point win to force the Huskies into needing four singles wins. At No. 2 doubles, OU earned a 6-1 win over Kerr and Astrid Olsen, but the Huskies made it tight from there. Sato and Erika Matsuda were down 2-4 against the 5th-ranked doubles tandem in the nation, OU’s Corley sisters. But Sato and Matsuda won three games in a row to take a 5-4 lead. OU responded to make it 5-6 back in their favor, but then Oklahoma clinched on court three, as Sarah-Maude Fortin and Zehra Suko dropped a 4-6 match to Garcia Ruiz/Guzman.
 
Oklahoma, the regular season Big 12 Conference co-champions, added to their lead with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles as freshman Erika Matsuda fell to Julia Garcia Ruiz.
 
Kerr’s victory cut the lead in half, but UW needed to extend things on one of the top two courts to stage a rally, and they weren’t able to make it happen today. Fortin dropped a 6-2, 6-2 match at No. 2 singles to 78th-ranked Dana Guzman, then Sato lost at No. 1 to end it.
 
Astrid Olsen was one game into a third set on court three, as she won the first set but lost the second against Carmen Corley. Also suspended was Melissa Sakar’s match, as she was down a set and at 2-3 in the second.
 
This was Washington’s 17th NCAA tournament appearance and first back-to-back tourney appearances since 2010-11.

 

Washington Women’s Tennis

NCAA Championships – Second Round

May 6, 2023

Norman, Okla. | Headington Family Tennis Center

 

#21 Washington – 1

(13-seed) #13 Oklahoma – 4

 

Singles

1. (#50) Layne Sleeth (OU) def. (#109)