Oklahoma Aces: Unleashing the Spirit of Sooner Athletics

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The No. 16 Oklahoma women’s tennis squad concluded play at the Miami Spring Invitational on Sunday, achieving a total of 24 victories throughout the weekend, placing them at the forefront of a competitive array of teams.

Participating in the yearly spring event alongside OU were No. 23 Miami, No. 14 North Carolina State, and fellow SEC competitor No. 21 Vanderbilt.

On the initial day, the Sooners secured six singles wins and three doubles victories to commence the tournament. Senior No. 43 Alina Shcherbinina showcased a prominent performance in the opening round by defeating Vanderbilt’s No. 26 Bridget Stammel. A group of freshmen sustained the momentum, as Salakthip Ounmuang, Gloriana Nahum, and Cara Mester all claimed straight-set triumphs in their spring debuts.

In doubles matches, three pairings enjoyed success. No. 28 Shcherbinina and Mester teamed up for a 6-2 victory over Raquel Gonzalez and Xinyi Nong (Miami). Following that, Julia Garcia Ruiz and Ounmuang triumphed against Jaquelyn Ogunwale and Marina Paula Vargas (Miami), 6-2, while Chloé Noël and Nahum secured a 6-1 win over Amy Stevens and Jayden Jagolinzer (Vanderbilt).

OU added four additional singles victories on the second day, led by No. 14 Garcia Ruiz, who achieved her first victory of the spring in a split-set match against Miami’s Ogunwale, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Garcia Ruiz recently concluded an impressive fall season, where she advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Individual Championships for the first time in her career. The Morelia, Mexico native became the Sooners’ first individual semifinalist since Layne Sleeth in 2023.

The Sooners collected two additional doubles wins with Ounmuang and Garcia Ruiz prevailing 6-4 over No. 60 Kristina Paskauskas and Jasmine Conway (NC State) and Catanzarite and Staker overcoming Stevens and Jagolinzer (Vanderbilt), 6-2.

Oklahoma enjoyed success on the final day of competition, ending with five singles victories and sweeping four doubles matches. A pair of Sooner newcomers finished the weekend undefeated, starting with Ounmuang, who defeated No. 55 Gabia Paskauskas (NC State), 6-1, 6-4, followed by Nahum, who triumphed with a score of 6-4, 6-2 over Mia Slama (NC State). The last three victories to wrap up the tournament were secured by Garcia Ruiz, Shcherbinina, and Mester.

The Sooners are set to initiate the dual-season with consecutive home matches against Wichita State and Wyoming at the Headington Family Tennis Center (Jan. 17).

For updates, follow @OU_WTennis on Twitter or like Oklahoma Women’s Tennis on Facebook.

Day 1 

Oklahoma vs. Miami (Doubles) 

#28 Shcherbinina/Mester (OU) def. Gonzalez/Nong (UM), 6-2 

Garcia Ruiz/Ounmuang (OU) def. Ogunwale/Vargas (UM), 6-2

Webster/Arai (UM) def. Staker/Catanzarite (OU), 6-1

Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt (Doubles)

C. Noel/Nahum (OU) def. Stevens/Jagolinzer (VANDY), 6-1

Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt (Singles)

Celia-Belle Mohr (VANDY) def. #14 Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU), 6-2, 7-5 

#43 Alina Shcherbinina (OU) def. #26 Bridget Stammel (VANDY), 6-4, 7-5 

#78 Valeria Ray (VANDY) def. Chloe Noel (OU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 

#66 Emma Staker (OU) def. Trinetra Vijayakumar (VANDY), 4-6, 6-0, 7-6 (2) 

#68 Ava Catanzarite (OU) def. Sophia Webster (VANDY), 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-1 

Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) def. Sonya Macavei (VANDY), 6-3, 6-1 

Gloriana Nahum (OU) def. Amy Stevens (VANDY), 6-1, 6-2 

Cara Mester (OU) def. Naomi Katz (VANDY), 6-3, 6-2 

Day 2 

Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt (Doubles) 

Catanzarite/Staker (OU) def. Stevens/Jagolinzer (VANDY), 6-2

Oklahoma vs. NC State (Doubles)

#5 Broadfoot/Zampardo (NCSU) def. #28 Mester/Shcherbinina (OU), 6-4 

Ounmuang/Garcia Ruiz (OU) #60 K. Paskauskas/Conway (NCSU), 6-4 

Zyryanova/Slama (NCSU) def. C. Noel/Nahum (OU), 6-4 

Oklahoma vs. Miami (Singles)

#14 Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) def. Jaquelyn Ogunwale (UM), 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 

#70 Raquel Gonzalez (UM) def. #43 Alina Shcherbinina (OU), 6-4, 6-3

#66 Emma Staker (OU) def. Xinyi Nong (UM), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 

Aely Arai (UM) def. Chloe Noel (OU), 6-2, 7-6 (5) 

Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) def. Maria Paula Vargas (UM), 6-0, 6-3 

Gloriana Nahum (OU) def. Savannah Webster (UM), 6-4, 6-3 

Day 3 

Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt (Doubles)

#28 Mester/Shcherbinina (OU) def. Stammel/Ray (VANDY), 6-3

Garcia Ruiz/Nahum (OU) def. Mohr/Macavei (VANDY), 6-3 

Ounmuang/Staker (OU) def. So. Webster/Vijayakumar (VANDY), 6-3 

Catanzarite/C. Noel (OU) def. Stevens/Jagolinzer (VANDY), 6-2

Oklahoma vs. NC State (Singles)

#14 Julia Garcia Ruiz (OU) def. Kristina Paskauskas (NCSU), 6-3, 6-4

#43 Alina Shcherbinina (OU) def. Anna Zyryanova (NCSU), 6-1, 7-5

Salakthip Ounmuang (OU) def. #55 Gabia Paskauskas (NCSU), 6-1, 6-4

Gabriella Broadfoot (NCSU) def. #66 Emma Staker (OU), 6-4, 6-2

Gloriana Nahum (OU) def. Mia Slama (NCSU), 6-4, 6-2

Maddy Zampardo (NCSU) def. #68 Ava Catanzarite (OU), 6-0, 6-2

Cara Mester (OU) def. Jasmine Conway (NCSU), 6-1, 7-6 (5)

Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt (Singles)

Amy Stevens (VANDY) def. Emma Ghirardato (OU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-4