Oklahoma tennis: Sooner dream season ends in loss to Texas in NCAA Championship
By Chip Rouse
The historical run of the women’s Oklahoma tennis team in the 2022 NCAA Championship ended Sunday in a loss to the hated Texas Longhorns in the championship final.
It was the furthest the No. 2-ranked Sooners have ever advanced in the postseason, but the Longhorns were too much in a 4-1 championship victory over Oklahoma.
It was a disappointing ending to what has been an epic season by the Sooners, but the runner-up finish does nothing to diminish the outstanding accomplishments along the national championship journey.
The Lady Longhorns jumped out to a 1-0 advantage, winning the doubles point with wins over Sooner doubles partners Layne Sleeth/Alexandra Pisareva and Dana Guzman/Emma Staker.
Oklahoma climbed back into the hunt when Staker picked up a straight-sets 6-1, 6-1 singles victory over Vivian Ovrootsky of Texas on court six.
Texas secured the final championship point when Allura Zamarippa outlasted OU’s Pisareva (7-5, 7-6 [7-4]) in a closely contested singles match on court five. That followed Longhorn singles wins over Sleeth (6-0, 6-2) and Ivana Corley (6-3, 7-6 [7-4]).
The Sooners were ahead in one other singles match and in a close battle in another that was unfinished at the time Texas posted the singles victory to secure the national championship trophy. OU’s Guzman was ahead in her match with UT’s Charlotte Chavatipon (4-6, 6-2, 5-2), while Carmen Corley trailed Kylie Collins of Texas (7-5, 2-6, 1-2).
Oklahoma finished the season with a program-record 32 wins and just three defeats.
The season is not yet finished for several Sooners. Layne Sleeth and Carmen Corley will compete in the NCAA Singles Championships, beginning May 27, while Carmen and her sister Ivana are entered in the NCAA Doubles Championship.