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Otway's Late Match Heroics Push the Frogs to Victory - TCU Athletics
FORT WORTH: No. 56 TCU Women's Tennis knocked off the No. 62 ranked Mustangs 4-1 on Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion led by Jade Otway.
GoFrogs: Otway's Late Match Heroics Push the Frogs to Victory
FORT WORTH: No. 56 TCU Women's Tennis knocked off the No. 62 ranked Mustangs 4-1 on Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion led by Jade Otway.
TCU (9-4) fought off a late rally from crosstown rival SMU (9-7) to win the battle of DFW for the first time since 2019.
After an SMU singles win on court No. 1, the Horned Frogs held a 3-1 lead needing a final push to secure the ninth home win of the season. SMU capitalized on late momentum and the match remained in the balance.
Two courts were midway into the third set, but the TCU held the advantage on court three when the unexpected altered the tide of the match.
Otway had a tight grasp of the lead. Up a set and a 6-5 second set advantage, she took a 15-to-love lead in the presumptuous final game of the match. Suddenly, Otway's body gave out in a feat of exhaustion as SMU's Drew Morris brought the game to 15 even. The second-year righty out of New Zealand needed a medical timeout to refocus.
Otway arose hobbling on just one leg. At 15 apiece, she could only muster an underhand serve but limped her way to a 30-15 lead.
Up a point, just two away from a victory for her team, she served underhanded once again for a miraculous ace.
Morris brought the game to deuce following two SMU points. Otway would not be denied as she limped across the court as a Morris forehand sailed wide giving TCU the victory. Teammates and coaches cautiously celebrated with Otway as TCU earned their third-ranked win of the season (Alabama, Ole Miss).
On court No. 6, sophomore Helena Narmont nearly dropped the first set of her singles match. Down 1-5, she fought all the way back to send the first set into a tiebreaker. The tiebreaker stood even at six points all when Narmont broke the tie and won the first set thriller. The sophomore from Estonia took control of the match and won the second set 6-3.
In doubles play, TCU garnered two swift victories to take an early lead into singles. Destinee Martins and Tiphanie Lemaitre acquired the first doubles triumph of the afternoon, 6-2. Otway and her partner, Mercedes Aristegui knocked off Hadley Doyle and Lana Mavor in a 6-3 decision.
On court No. 4, Martins made quick work of the Mustangs' Jackie Nylander in a three and three straight-set victory.
TCU has won nine of 10 home matches thusfar this season and will look to continue protecting home court in Sunday's match.
Singles competition:1. #112 Hadley Doyle (SMU) def. Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) 6-1, 6-4
2. #123 Mercedes Aristegui (TCU) vs. Taylor Johnson (SMU) 3-6, 6-2, 4-4, unfinished
3. Jade Otway (TCU) def. Drew Morris (SMU) 6-4, 7-5
4. Destinee Martins (TCU) def. Jackie Nylander (SMU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) vs. Lana Mavor (SMU) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0, unfinished
6. Helena Narmont (TCU) def. Maja Makoric (SMU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
Doubles competition:
1. #67 Helena Narmont/Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) vs. #37 Taylor Johnson/Jackie Nylander (SMU) 3-5, unfinished
2. Jade Otway/Mercedes Aristegui (TCU) def. Hadley Doyle/Lana Mavor (SMU) 6-3
3. Destinee Martins/Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) def. Drew Morris/Maja Makoric (SMU) 6-2
Match Notes:
SMU 9-7; National ranking #62 TCU Horned Frogs 9-4; National ranking #56
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (4,1,6,3)
Up Next: TCU is back in action on Sunday, March 26 against the No. 20 Kansas Jayhawks. The first serve is set for 1 p.m.
