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Julia Shviadok

Heartbreaker

Julia Shviadok

EDMOND (March 3) – A hard-fought battle ended in disappointment for Central Oklahoma Saturday as the Bronchos fell to future conference rival Southwest Baptist 5-4.

The nearly five-hour match came down to No. 4 singles, where SBU's Andjela Panovski pulled out a tense 7-6, 7-5 win over freshman Sowmya Pulumati to break a 4-4 deadlock and drop UCO to 2-4 on the season.

It was the third match in two days for the Bronchos, who are playing as an NCAA Division II independent this season before joining SBU in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association next year.

“It was heartbreaking to come up short like that after fighting for almost five hours,” head coach Natalya Nikitina-Helvey said.  “I know we are all disappointed, but there's nothing we can do but just get ready for our match with Tarleton on Tuesday.

“Our goal by the end of next week is win all three matches we have scheduled and get back to a winning record.”

UCO led 2-1 after the three doubles, matches, but the Bearcats took four of the six singles meetings to rally for the win.

Julia Shviadok and Elizabeta Abramovic, the sixth-ranked doubles team in the South Central Regional, routed SBU's seventh-rated team 8-3 at No. 1 doubles, while Pulumati and Anna Kochigina pulled out a 9-8 win at No. 3.

Kochigina rallied for a three-set win at No. 5 singles, losing the first set 6-2 before roaring back with consecutive 6-2 wins, and Rose Cabato cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 6.

The Bronchos meet Tarleton State in Dallas on Tuesday before going to Russellville, Ark. Next weekend to face Arkansas Tech and Ouachita Baptist.

Southwest Baptist 5, UCO 4
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Julia Shviadok/Elizabeta Abramovic, UCO, def. Mehak Singh/Fannie Varga, 8-3.
No. 2 – Adrienn Kovacs/Faiga Schmidt, SBU, def. Rose Cabato/Anto Rossini (UCO) 8-5
No. 3 – Anna Kochigina/Sowmya Pulumati, UCO, def. Andjela Panovski/Crystal Guiot, 9-8.
SINGLES
No. 1 – Varga, SBU, def. Abramovic, 6-2, 6-1.
No. 2 – Singh, SBU, def. Shviadok, 6-4, 6-4.
No. 3 – Kovacks, SBU, def. Rossini, 6-1, 6-4.
No. 4 – Panovski, SBU, def. Pulumati, 7-6, 7-5.
No. 5 – Kochigina, UCO, def. Schmidt, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 6 – Cabato, UCO, def. Guiot, 6-1, 6-1.

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