Iowa State was on the road in Cincinnati, when the Cyclones ended their win drought with a 4-3 victory over the Bearcats.
The Cyclones entered Friday on a 14-match losing streak, and the win against the Bearcats put it to an end, giving them their third win and first conference win of the season.
In doubles, Anna Supapitch Kuearum and Juliette Nask lost 6-4 in a hard-fought match. Valeska San Martin Ramirez and Gala Arangio also lost 6-4 in a match that looked like it could have gone either way. Isabella Dunlap and Ashlee Narker were a bright spot in doubles, defeating their opponents 6-1.
In singles, Kuearum won in a close match 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. from the first slot. Narker and San Martin Ramirez each went into three sets, which saw Narker win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, and San Martin Ramirez won, 3-6, 6-0, 6-0.
Nask lost the match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. Arangio pulled off a second straight victory with a 6-2, 7-6 straight-set win against the Bearcats. Dunlap lost due to forfeit 6-2, 1-3, W/F.
Doubles fought hard
The second doubles pairing of Dunlap and Narker made quick work of their opponents with a 6-1 victory, while the first and third doubles lost 6-4.
This is the first time in 10 matches that any Cyclone pairing had won their doubles match. Each of the last 10 matches included either an unfinished match or an empty slot due to the absence of Nask.
Nask still searching for her first win
What looked like it could have been a three-set barn-burner between Nask and Callie Flanagan ended up being a straight-set loss for Nask.
Nask lost 6-4, 6-3, after starting the first set going neck and neck with Flanagan until it was 4-4, and Flanagan won two straight to take the first set.
First win since January
The Cyclones put an end to their 14-match losing streak, the longest in program history. The win was propelled by four singles victories from Kuearum, Narker, Arangio and San Martin Ramirez.
Iowa State has three matches left against West Virginia, UCF and Houston before the Big 12 Championships.
Iowa State takes on West Virginia in the Cyclones’ last regular season away match at 10 a.m. Sunday before they head home for one last homestand before the Big 12 Championships.
