#16 Lady Vols Top Unbeaten #1 Oklahoma State 4-2, Advance to Elite Eight

Saturday, May 11

Stillwater, OK

4 p.m.

University of Tennessee

#1 Oklahoma State

#16 Lady Vols Top Unbeaten #1 Oklahoma State 4-2, Advance to Elite Eight

May 11, 2024 | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

First Elite Eight Appearance Since 2010

STILLWATER, Okla. – The 16th-seeded Tennessee women's tennis team ended top-ranked Oklahoma State's 29-match winning streak, securing a 4-2 victory to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time since 2010 on Saturday night at Greenwood Tennis Center.

The historic win snapped the Cowgirls' longest winning streak in program history, giving them their first defeat since May 6, 2023. The Lady Volunteers punched their ticket to the Elite Eight for the third time in program history and did so by defeating a top-ranked seed in postseason for the first time.

"I am incredibly proud and excited for this group," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We have been telling this team all semester, there is something special about you. It is not the tennis that is going to separate us. It is our heart and our desire to come together in big moments. That's what you saw against Duke, and that is what you saw today and you will see it again on Friday. Win or lose, you allow yourself to perform at a higher level when you get to that place together as a team. I couldn't be more excited."

Tennessee (21-7, 9-4 SEC) played a tough doubles point but it was not enough to defeat Oklahoma State (29-1, 16-0 Big 12). The pair of Esther Adeshina and Alana Wolfberg produced the only doubles victory, downing Ayumi Miyamoto and Raquel Gonzalez, 6-3. The No. 11-ranked tandem of Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase lost in a 4-6 battle versus the No. three-ranked partnering of Anastasiya Komar and Ange Oby Kajuru. Catherine Aulia and Lauren Anzalotta also fell 4-6 to Safiya Carrington and Kristinia Novak.

After falling 1-0, the Lady Vols shifted the momentum and rallied to uplift the score. Wolfberg was the first to claim a victory, with her opponent retiring due to a medical forfeit on court three. Aulia tallied a 6-4, 6-1 victory against No. 72 Safiya Carrington. Adeshina retired Kristina Novak in 6-4, 6-3 fashion, giving Novak her only loss of the season.

"It means everything, and we love fighting for each other," Adeshina said. "We all believe in each other. Last year I remember Alison (Ojeda) saying that whenever we played top teams, we thought we had a chance, but we didn't expect to win. I think today and all season we have expected to win these matches. That is what happened today."

No. 14 Cabezas then clinched the match by knocking off No. 18 Anastasiya Komar in a thriller after losing the first set. She battled back and took it in a tiebreaker, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6).

"I could not be happier," Cabezas said. "These girls are like family to me, and I just want to keep going. I don't want to leave this team. I want to play as long as possible. I am so happy, so happy. This team can beat anyone."

NEXT UP:

Tennessee advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals and will play No. 8-seeded UCLA in Stillwater, Okla. The match is set for 6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET Friday. The winner of that match will face the winner of No. 5 Virginia-No. 13 Texas A&M in the semifinals on at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday.

Match Notables:

Tennessee advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the third time in program history (2024, 2010, 2002).
The win marked the 786th victory for the Tennessee women's tennis program.
Head coach Alison Ojeda now owns 142 victories during her tenure, making her the third-highest winning coach in program history.
Tennessee has now defeated 11 ranked opponents this season, six ranked in the top-25.
Sunday's victory marked the second in program history against Oklahoma State, including the first in the Ojeda era.
Saturday's win marked the first time the Lady Vols have beaten a Big 12 opponent in the NCAA Tournament since defeating Baylor, 5-1, on May 9, 1997.
The victory marked the second time in the Ojeda era that a team has posted more than 20 wins, the seventh time in program history. The Lady Vols have now produced back-to-back seasons of at least 21 victories for the first time since 2002-03. It's the winningest two-year stretch for the program since those two years.
The win marked the first time since April 7 that the Cowgirls had let up a point or more to their opponent.

Results:

Doubles

1. #3 Ange Oby Kajuru and Anastasiya Komar (OSUW) def. #11 Sofia Cabezas and Elza Tomase (TENN) 6-4

2. Esther Adeshina and Alana Wolfberg (TENN) def. Raquel Gonzalez and Ayumi Miyamoto (OSUW) 6-3

3. Safiya Carrington and Kristina Novak (OSUW) def. Lauren Anzalotta and Catherine Aulia (TENN) 6-4

Singles

1. #14 Sofia Cabezas (TENN) def. #18 Anastasiya Komar (OSUW) 2-6 6-1 7-6 (8-6)

2. #3 Ange Oby Kajuru (OSUW) def. Elza Tomase (TENN) 6-2 6-3

3. Alana Wolfberg (TENN) def. #46 Lucia Peyre (OSUW) by retirement 2-0

4. Catherine Aulia (TENN) def. #72 Safiya Carrington (OSUW) 6-4 6-1

5. Lauren Anzalotta (TENN) vs. #84 Ayumi Miyamoto (OSUW) match was unfinished 7-6 (3-7) 6-5

6. Esther Adeshina (TENN) def. Kristina Novak (OSUW) 6-4 6-3