Houston junior Petja Drame devastated after losing in the second round of singles of an NCAA tennis match against Texas Tech, on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Houston, Texas. | Luis Diego Gonzalez/The Cougar
The Houston Cougars met with the Texas Tech Red Raiders on March 13 at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility. Entering the clash with a 3-1 record in conference play, the Cougars faced a tough challenge against the reigning Big 12 champions. The Red Raiders ultimately won 4-3.
Doubles matches recap
Early in the doubles round, Red Raiders senior Mariia Hlahola and sophomore Elena Daskalova took the match from the beginning against Houston juniors Iva Sepa and Valeriia Krokhotina. The Cougars were able to trail behind, but not close enough to end the match. Klahola and Daskalova took the first win 6-3.
Houston seniors Sophie Schouten and Chems Doha Zeghlouli set the tone in their match with a 4-1 lead. Zeghlouli kept the net game tight with her quick reflexes and agility.
The Red Raiders rose to the challenge, playing with consistent winners tying the score 4-4. The Red Raiders ultimately took the second win of the day 6-4. Texas Tech won the doubles round and gained the lead over Houston 1-0.
Singles matches recaps
Starting the singles round, Sepa won the first set 6-1. Texas Tech was able to trail closely behind in the second set, 5-4. However, Sepa was able to close out her match 6-1, 6-4 and put the Cougars on the board with consistent rallies from the baseline.
The Red Raiders fought a determined and skillful match on back-to-back courts against Houston junior Elizaveta Morozova and Zeghlouli.
Red Raider senior Hailey Murphy took control of the ball and moved Morozova where she wanted. Although Morozova kept both sets tight from the beginning, she was bested during long rallies. The Red Raiders took their second point 6-3, 6-3.
To the right, Red Raider senior Kate Dmitrichenko took the first set from Zeghlouli 6-2. Zeghlouli played a hard-fought set and just merely lost important points.
While Texas Tech stayed consistent till the end with strategic placement, the Red Raiders claimed the match 6-2, 6-2. This made the head score 3-1.
Schouten knew what to do and notched the win 6-3, 6-2. This Cougar victory kept Houston alive, hungry for that final match win.
Krokhotina played a balanced yet varied match. They knew to change up the pace and play low to take the first set 6-4. Krokhotina took an early lead in the second from the baseline.
However, the Red Raider against them chased until the end during the high-tension moments. The Cougar quickly sealed the victory 6-4, 6-4 before any Raider could get ahead. The head score was tied at 3-3.
With these results, the turnaround for the Cougars set up the dramatic last match of the day. Red Raider freshman Havana Kadi overshadowed Houston in the first set 6-1.
Nonetheless, Drame changed the pace of the match and came to challenge for the second set tiebreak. With fans on the court, tension was high. Drame was ahead 5-3, but the Red Raider adapted and overtook 8-6. Kadi set the final point 6-1, 7(8)-6(6) and claimed the day for Texas Tech.
Even though it was a loss for Houston, Schouten continued her overall singles win streak, having a streak of 11-0 in the 2026 season. The Houston Cougars look forward to fighting hard for a win against the Colorado Buffaloes on March 15 back at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility.
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