Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 32 Oklahoma escaped with a 4-3 win over Big South champion Winthrop in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at host site University of North Carolina's Cone Kenfield Tennis Center Saturday morning. Winthrop won the doubles point and two singles contests.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
-The close opening doubles competition indicated the flow of the day. No. 44 Lauren Proctor and Megan Kauffman fell at court one to Oleksandra Korashvil and Jasmine Asghar 6-3, but meanwhile the Eagles pulled ahead on both lower courts 4-3.
 
-On the third court, Ellie Burns and Tayla Van Eck went on to a 6-4 win over Ivana Corley and Motosono, avenging their regular season loss to Motosono and Korashvil.
 
-At court two, Alisa Soloveva and Rafaela Santos took a 5-3 lead over Martina Capurro/Camila Romero on a Santos hold. The Sooners tied it back up at 5-5 with a break, but the Eagles returned the favor to regain a 6-5 lead. Back on serve, Santos won a deuce point on match point to clinch the 7-5 win for the Eagles and the opening team doubles point.
 
-Leading off early singles play, the Eagles took the first set on courts two (Soloveva over Capurro 6-2) and four (Kauffman over Asghar 6-3). OU won the first set at court one (Korashvil over Proctor 6-3) and three (Romero over Santos 6-3) to keep the early goings even. Court three would wrap up first with Romero dispatching Santos 6-3, 6-2 to put Oklahoma on the board.
 
-Moments later, Soloveva posted her 18^th-consecutive win of the season, a 6-2, 6-3 straight-set win over Capurro for a 2-1 Eagles team lead.
 
-OU kept it close with a straight-set win at court five as Motosono defeated Van Eck 6-3, 6-2 to tie the match at 2-2.
 
-The Sooners took their first lead of the day as No. 26 Korashvil defeated No. 55 Proctor 6-3, 6-3. Proctor and Korashvil did not face each other in the Eagles' and Sooners' regular season matchup as Korashvil played the No. 2 position.
 
-Tension built as the team match decision would come down to the outcomes at courts four and six. At six, Burns dropped her first set against Corley 6-4 and was battling to stay alive in a second set. At four, Kauffman handled Asghar 6-3 in the first set, but stumbled 6-4 in the second for a deciding third set. Asghar jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Kauffman stayed steady, tying the match at 3-3 with two strong serve games and a break. Kauffman wouldn't look back, winning six-straight games for a 6-3 third set and match victory.
 
-Kauffman's win tied the team score at 3-3, while two courts down, Burns found herself in a hard-fought second set, attempting to stave off an OU clinch and get to a third set. Trailing 4-5, Burns tied the match at 5-5 on serve and went up 6-5 on a break. Corley bounced back with a break of her own to force a tiebreaker to decide the set. With several close points and lead changes, Corley snagged the 11-9 tiebreak win on serve, winning the court and clinching the team victory for Oklahoma.
 
QUOTABLE

"I'm so proud of every member of the team on how hard and well they competed against a very good Oklahoma team! I want to congratulate our graduates Lauren and Megan - their college journey hasn't finished yet as they are competing in the singles and doubles event in Orlando. Go Eagles!" 
-Head Coach Cid Carvalho

NOTABLES
-In a lineup change forced by a pre-tournament challenge by Oklahoma, Megan Kauffman and Rafaela Santos changed positions, reflecting the first change in the Winthrop lineup of the season. 

-With Winthrop commencement ceremonies held Saturday on campus in Rock Hill, senior graduates Proctor and Kauffman were unable to attend. With the help of Winthrop staff member Judy Longshaw, the duo's diplomas were hand delivered to them in Chapel Hill after the match, complete with a miniature ceremony in cap and gown. Carvalho handed each graduate her diploma, and, coordinated by Longshaw, Winthrop president Dan Mahony spoke to each graduate by phone. 
 
UP NEXT
Lauren Proctor and Megan Kauffman will continue competition for the Eagles in the NCAA Doubles Championship this month at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. after the conclusion of the team championship. Proctor has also qualified for the singles championship.



FULL RESULTS

Singles
1. #26 Oleksandra Korashvil (OU) def. #55 Lauren Proctor (WIN) 6-3, 6-3
2. Alisa Soloveva (WIN) def. Martina Capurro (OU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Camila Romero (OU) def. Rafaela Santos (WIN) 6-3, 6-2
4. Megan Kauffman (WIN) def. Jasmine Asghar (OU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. Kianah Motosono (OU) def. Tayla Van Eck (WIN) 6-3, 6-2
6. Ivana Corley (OU) def. Ellie Burns (WIN) 6-4, 7-6 (11-9)

Doubles
1. Oleksandra Korashvil/Jasmine Asghar (OU) def. #44 Lauren Proctor/Megan Kauffman (WIN) 6-3
2. Alisa Soloveva/Rafaela Santos (WIN) def. Martina Capurro/Camila Romero (OU) 7-5
3. Tayla Van Eck/Ellie Burns (WIN) def. Ivana Corley/Kianah Motosono (OU) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,2,5,1,4,6)