TCU Takes Down Top Seed UCF, Captures Program’s First Big 12 Tournament Championship

ORLANDO, Fla. – In a year full of numerous firsts for the TCU women's tennis program, another milestone was achieved today as the team clinched its first-ever Big 12 Tournament Championship with a 4-1 victory over UCF on Saturday night at the USTA National Campus.

TCU (20-4) fell behind early against the Knights (20-4), as UCF took the doubles point after a competitive battle all around on each court. However, as has been shown many times throughout the course of the year, the Frogs found a way to win, this time by virtue of four straight singles wins.

Raquel Caballero Chica delivered the final blow, earning a ranked win at the top singles spot and etching herself in the TCU history books and clinching a historic win for the program.

The Frogs have now earned their 11th conference title in program history and will mark their 19th postseason appearance in the NCAA Tournament. With this result, the program has made its way back into the NCAA Tournament, as this is the first time the Frogs will appear since the 2017 season.

This also is the first year since 2018 where both the men and women won the Big 12 Tournament title in the same season, as Texas achieved the feat that season.

Jennifer Jackson was crowned the Most Outstanding Player following the match, as the freshman won all three of her doubles and singles contests throughout the duration of the tournament and was the best player overall for TCU across the three-day stretch.

This is TCU's first victory over UCF with both teams apart of the Big 12 and fourth win over the Knights in program history.

DOUBLES RUNDOWN

For the first time in this year's Big 12 Tournament, the Frogs fell behind early in the match. After capturing a quick doubles win, UCF took the following two courts to take the lead early on.

Jennifer Jackson and Caballero Chica got things started for the Frogs, defeating Olivia Bergler and Lauren Seye, 6-2 to put TCU in a good position to potentially secure the doubles point.

However, the Knights would find a response, taking matches on court one and three to

DOUBLES RESULTS

1. Jantje Tilbuerger/Marina Gatell (UCF) def. Victoria Gomez O'Hayon/Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) 6-4

2. Jennifer Jackson/Raquel Caballero Chica (TCU) def. Olivia Bergler/Lauren Seye (UCF) 6-2

3. Jade Psonka/V. Andreevskaya (UCF) def. Cayetana Gay/Tomi Main (TCU) 7-6 (7-4)

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

SINGLES RUNDOWN

After the doubles point concluded, that would be the only time UCF would see a lead for the remainder of the match.

The Knights would start by winning a pair of first sets on courts two and four, but TCU would respond with a quartet of first sets. After the last first set concluded, the Frogs were in the driver's seat and did not look back.

Jackon was the first to finish, rounding out her undefeated weekend with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Jade Psonka. After Jackson's clinch, numerous Frogs had the lead and fans in the building could feel the momentum shifting more and more towards TCU.

Cayetana Gay, a force in the later portion of the singles lineup, extended her undefeated record in dual matches this year with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Seye. Cristina Ramos Sierra quickly put the Frogs one away from clinching the match, bouncing Marina Gatell by way of a 7-5, 6-2 victory.

The consistent No. 1 spot in the singles lineup this year for TCU, Raquel Caballero Chica put the bow on the match and created TCU history with a 6-3, 6-4 two-set triumph over 115th-ranked Jantje Tilbuerger. The junior's energy and passion for the game has passed off to the team throughout the entire year, and tonight it paid off in the biggest way.

SINGLES RESULTS

1. #81 Raquel Caballero Chica (TCU) def. #115 Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) 6-3, 6-4

2. Olivia Bergler (UCF) vs. Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) 6-2, 5-5, unfinished

3. Cristina Ramos Sierra (TCU) def. Marina Gatell (UCF) 7-5, 6-2

4. V. Andreevskaya (UCF) vs. Victoria Gomez O'Hayon (TCU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-1, unfinished

5. Jennifer Jackson (TCU) def. Jade Psonka (UCF) 6-3, 6-0

6. Cayetana Gay (TCU) def. Lauren Seye (UCF) 6-4, 6-2

Order of Finish: 5, 6, 3, 1

UP NEXT

TCU awaits its NCAA Tournament seeding, as the Frogs' postseason draw will be announced on Monday, April 27. Further details will be announced when they become available.

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