Lady Tiger tennis team competes against NCAA Division I schools

Ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Division I women's tennis rankings, the Cowley College women's tennis team took a step up in competition by playing a pair of road matches against NCAA Division I teams over the weekend in Texas. Cowley battled hard before losing 7-0 at North Texas on Saturday and 4-1 on Sunday at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

"It was another tough weekend playing against NCAA D1 schools. Unfortunately, it didn't go our way, but this will push the girls to keep working hard," Cowley head coach Ari Raga said.

Freshman Yerkezhan Arystanbekova secured the only win of the weekend at No. 1 singles as she defeated UTSA's Fatima Gutierrez 6-1, 6-3.

"Yerkezhan had a tough match on Saturday vs. North Texas and was able to come back and win on Sunday," Raga said.

Arina Babenko, Akari Tomoyose, and Zuzanna Witkowska also played well as they had singles matches go three sets.

Cowley will now prepare to face three ranked junior college opponents March 10-12 in Tyler, TX. Cowley will face No. 12-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast, ninth-ranked Collin County, and third-ranked Tyler Junior College. Matches on Sunday and Monday begin at 3 p.m., while Tuesday's match at Tyler Junior College will start at 9 a.m.

Results vs. North Texas:

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Yerke Arystanbekova/Arina Babenko (CC) lost to Stanislava Shulzhenko (UNT) 4-6.

*No. 2 – Akari Tomoyose/Roselida Asumwa (CC) lost to Stadfany Nformi/Lou Chalard (UNT) 4-6.

*No. 3 – Serena Pereyra/Mariana Jimenez (CC) match vs. Carolina Laydner/Marina Adati (UNT) 5-5 unfinished.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Arystanbekova (CC) lost to Shulzhenko 0-6, 4-6.

*No. 2 – Babenko (CC) lost to Nformi (UNT) 3-6, 3-6.

*No. 3 – Pereyra (CC) lost to Chalard (UNT) 1-6, 3-6.

*No. 4 – Tomoyose (CC) lost to Laydner (UNT) 1-6, 4-6, 6-10.

*No. 5 –Zuzanna Witkowska (CC) lost to Lilly Schultz (UNT) 1-6, 2-6.

*No. 6 – Asumwa(CC) lost to Adati (UNT) 1-6, 4-6.

Results vs. Texas San Antonio:

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Yerke Arystanbekova/Arina Babenko (CC) match was unfinished.

*No. 2 – Akari Tomoyose/Roselida Asumwa (CC) lost to Magda Tuells/Ekua Youri (UTSA) 2-6.

*No. 3 – Serena Pereyra/Mariana Jimenez (CC) lost to Aleksandra Zlatarova/Vittoria Baccino (UTSA) 1-6.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Arystanbekova (CC) defeated Fatima Gutierrez (UTSA) 6-1, 6-3.

*No. 2 – Pereyra (CC) lost to Zlatarova (UTSA) 6-7 (3), 0-6.

*No. 3 – Babenko (CC) match vs. Cassie McLay (UTSA) 1-6, 6-2, 1-2 unfinished.

*No. 4 – Tomoyose (CC) lost to Baccino (UTSA) 4-6, 6-7(5).

*No. 5 – Asumwa (CC) lost to Youri (UTSA) 3-6, 2-6.

*No. 6 – Zuzanna Witkowska (CC) match vs. Eva Beyebach (UTSA) 6-2, 2-6 1-0 unfinished.