College Feature
Oklahoma State Women down Georgia Tech 4-3 in ITA Kickoff
by Rick Limpert, 28 January 2015
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Oklahoma State's Director of Tennis and Head Coach of Women's Tennis, Chris Young, says he can usually count on his #19 ranked Cowgirls when it comes to the doubles point. After dropping the doubles point against the host and #18 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Sunday during the championship match of the ITA Kickoff Weekend Atlanta pod, he had to challenge his players.
Oklahoma State came from behind to win
© Doug Wrege, TennisRecruiting.net
"I told them I thought Georgia Tech hadn't seen our best," explained Young. "The courts here are fast, and Georgia Tech did a great job of taking it to us in the doubles, but I told our girls to stay the course, let our fitness take over and that really did in the end."
The Cowgirls defeated the Jackets 4-3 with the deciding point coming down to the No. 6 singles match and a third set comeback by junior, Maria Alvarez.
"Maria Alvarez is a player that has won several matches for us," said Young. "Last year, she won against Texas and Texas Tech. I can think of five or six matches that came down to her, and she came through."
She came through on Sunday at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex in Atlanta with Alvarez edging Georgia Tech's Megan Kurey, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. The win by Oklahoma State set off a loud Cowgirl victory celebration, as for the first time in program history, the Cowgirls won both matches on ITA Kickoff Weekend.
The Cowgirls defeated Big XII rival Texas Tech on Saturday before beating the Yellow Jackets to book their spot in the 2015 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship to be held February 6-9 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Georgia Tech defeated the Ivy League's Columbia on Saturday setting up the encounter with Oklahoma State.
