IOWA CITY – Iowa State freshman Cristina Ramos Sierra rallied for a three-set win as the Cyclones (3-1) defeated Iowa (2-2), 4-3, Wednesday evening to clinch the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. It was just Iowa State’s second win in Iowa City in the last 48 years.
“When a team starts to grow it’s an amazing thing to watch,” head coach Jaron Maestas said. “This team is starting to believe in the process.”
Ramos Sierra and Anna Supapitch Kuearum both dropped their opening sets before rallying to win in three sets. For Ramos Sierra, playing in her first rivalry match at No. 3 singles, it went down to the wire as she outdueled Iowa’s Marisa Schmidt, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Kuearum, the nation’s 70th-ranked player, dropped her opening set at the top court to No. 113 Daianne Hayashida but regained composure and won 3-6, 6-4, 6-0. Kuearum finishes her career 3-0 in matches against the Hawkeyes in dual season play.
Another freshman, Suzanie Pretorius, stepped up for the short-handed Cyclones, who were playing without No. 3 singles player Mari Paz Alberto Vilar. Pretorius defeated Nikita Vishwase, 7-5, 7-5, at No. 4 singles despite trailing 5-3 in the second set.
The Cyclones got on the board by earning a hard-fought doubles point to go up 1-0 in the match. After Iowa took No. 3 doubles, Julia Camblor and Gabriela Felix earned a 6-4 victory over Iowa’s Barbora Pokoma and Tereza Dejnozkova to even up the battle for the point.
On the No. 1 court, Kuearum and Ramos took care of their opponents, Hayashida and Vishwase by a 6-4 score as ISU won the doubles point for the third time in four matches this season.
Iowa State claims the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series with a 13-8 lead and just gymnastics and softball remaining to be played.
ISU returns to action Saturday when it hosts Wyoming at 2 p.m. at the Iowa State Tennis Facility.
Doubles Results
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
#1 – Anna Supapitch Kuearum/Cristina Ramos Sierra (ISU) def. Daianne Hayashida/Nikita Vishwase (UI), 6-4
#2 – Julia Camblor/Gabriela Felix (ISU) def. Barbora Pokoma/Tereza Dejnozkova (UI), 6-4
#3 – Marisa Schmidt/Pia Kranholdt (UI) def. Valeska San Martin Ramirez/Suzanie Pretorius (ISU), 6-4
Singles Results
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 1, 4, 6, 3
#1 – No. 70 Kuearum (ISU) def. No. 113 Hayashida (UI), 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
#2 – No. 76 Dejnozkova (UI) def. Camblor (ISU), 6-3, 6-4
#3 – Ramos Sierra (ISU) def. Schmidt (UI), 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4)
#4 – Pretorius (ISU) def. Vishwase (UI), 7-5, 7-5
#5 – Pokoma (UI) def. San Martin Ramirez (ISU), 6-1, 6-3
#6 – Kranholdt (UI) def. Felix (ISU), 7-6 (1), 6-4