In the Cyclones’ last away match of the regular season, West Virginia took down Iowa State in a 4-1 match Sunday at the Mountaineer Tennis Courts.
Iowa State hoped to carry the momentum from the 4-3 win against Cincinnati into Sunday. Still, the lack of depth and quick turnaround proved too much for the Cyclones in Morgantown, West Virginia.
In doubles, Anna Supapitch Kuearum and Juliette Nask lost 6-1 in a one-sided match, which secured the doubles point for the Mountaineers. Isabella Dunlap suffered an injury in Friday’s match against Cincinnati, so Iowa State could not field a third doubles pair. Valeska San Martin Ramirez and Ashlee Narker were leading 4-3 when their match went unfinished.
Singles was a similar story, with Kuearum being the lone winner for the Cyclones. Kuearum won 6-3, 6-1 against Love-Star Alexis. Gala Arangio and Narker both lost their matches, Arangio’s being in straight sets. Narker lost 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, and Arangio lost 6-1, 6-2.
Nask was trailing 6-4, 1-6, 0-5, and San Martin Ramirez was neck and neck, 7-6 (7-1), 2-4, when their matches went unfinished. The sixth singles spot was empty for the Cyclones.
The empty spot Dunlap usually fills hurt the Cyclones against the Mountaineers.
Dunlap had played the last five matches in the third singles spot, and the absence caused Iowa State to bump its bottom half of singles up a spot. Having Dunlap back for the final two matches will be crucial for the Cyclones’ success.
After struggling for the first half of the season, Arangio has picked it up as of late and earned three wins.
Tatiana Lipatova ended Arangio’s short win streak, winning 6-1, 6-2. Arangio looks to get back in the win column Friday against UCF.
The Cyclones wrap up their season with two home matches against weaker Big 12 opponents. Iowa State plays UCF on Friday and Houston on Sunday.
A Cyclone team at full strength has two opportunities to get wins before the Big 12 Championships against teams that are in the bottom half of the conference. UCF is No. 7 in the Big 12, and Houston is last.
Iowa State takes on UCF on Friday in either Ames or Urbandale, Iowa, to start its final homestand of the season.
