The Cyclone tennis team was shut out in singles and defeated 7-0 by the Oklahoma Sooners Thursday.

The Sooners came to Iowa State ranked No. 29 in the nation after a 4-3 victory over Texas Christian. Oklahoma defeated Iowa State in two of the three doubles match-ups. Freshman Eve Soriano and junior Sabrina Evers lost a close doubles match 9-7.

“This was the first time that Sabrina and I had played together,” Soriano said. “We were down 6-4 and then came back to 7-7. We lost the match but it could have gone either way.”

The No. 3 doubles team of freshman Charlotte Ljungkrantz and senior Courtney Leese came out with the only victory of the day, defeating their opponents 8-1. All six of the singles matches were played simultaneously with only three referees to keep an eye on the games. The athletes called their own shots and used their own judgment on whether the ball was hit in or out of bounds.

“The line is in but it doesn’t always go that way,” Soriano said. “Some coaches have different opinions about it and tell their players to call it out if it’s on the line.”

Soriano said if the referee is there to see the shot then whatever he says goes, but if he’s not, then there’s nothing the players can do about it.

“It doesn’t happen very often,” senior Tara Goedjen said. “When you have players that call it more closely than others it’s frustrating. Those points can make a big difference in a match.”

She said she had some problems with knowing the score during her match.

“The person serving is supposed to call out the score before every point, but it doesn’t always happen,” Goedjen said.

She was defeated 6-2, 6-2 in her singles match. Soriano also lost straight sets 6-1, 6-3.

“My singles match went all right,” she said. “I was playing well but it was kind of hard to focus. I think I improved during the match and hopefully the next time I am in a similar situation I will pull out and do better.”

Evers started off her singles match 3-0 but then fell behind and was defeated 6-3, 6-2. “I started off really well but couldn’t keep it up,” she said. “I got tired farther on. She was a smart player.”

The meet was the tennis team’s first outdoor competition at home this season. Outdoor matches bring new variables to the courts such as temperature and wind.

“When playing indoors, you don’t have to worry about sun or wind or fluctuating temperatures,” Goedjen said. “I like playing outdoors. I like it when it’s hot. It makes it more intense and I think I play better.”

Besides the weather, other distractions can make it tough for players to focus.

“Indoors everything is confined and there are no distractions,” Soriano said. “All of the outside noises like cars going by are distracting to me. You have to really focus during the match, you can’t concentrate on things going on around you.”

The play of the athletes can be different outdoors than it is indoors.

“You have a cleaner shot indoors,” Goedjen said. “Oklahoma plays outside more so they are more conditioned for it.”

With this loss, the Cyclones drop to 0-8 in the conference. They will face Oklahoma State at home on Saturday. Oklahoma holds a 24-0 all-time record against the Cyclones. The meet is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the outdoor courts next to the Forker Building but if inclement weather dictates, it will be moved to the Ames Racquet and Fitness Center.