Houston Sweeps Doubleheader on Opening Day

Friday, January 16

Riverside, Calif.

11 AM CT

University of Houston

UC Riverside

1/16/2026 8:00:00 PM | Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Cougars defeat Highlanders, 4-0, and UC Irvine, 4-0

Irvine, Calif. — The University of Houston Tennis team opened its 2026 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of UC Riverside and UC Irvine on Friday at the UCR Student Recreation Center Tennis Courts and Anteater Tennis Stadium.

Houston (2-0) opened the morning with a 4-0 sweep of UC Riverside (0-1), before defeating UC Irvine (0-1), 4-0 in the nightcap.

Against UC Riverside, junior Valeriia Krokhotina and freshman Alexia Lavinia Puiac defeated Susannah Su and Katarina Curcic, 6-1, on court two before senior Petja Drame and junior Elizaveta Morozova took care of Crystal Kim and Camile Li, 6-4, on court three to clinch the doubles point.

Junior Chems Doha Zeghlouli and senior Sophie Schouten were tied at six against Kei Kato and Ramey Yu before the match was deemed unfinished.

Schouten added Houston's second point of the day when she defeated Curcic, 6-1, 6-2 on court six.

Zeghlouli quickly followed suit with a 6-0, 6-1, victory over Susannah Su on court three.

Krokhotina clinched the fourth and final point of the morning against Camile Li, 6-1, 6-4, on court five to clinch the match for the Cougars.

In its match against UC Irvine the Cougars claimed the doubles point as Zeghlouli and Schouten defeated Amanda Perez and Carolyna Fowler, 6-3, on court one before Haily Huynh and Yen Nhi Huynh knocked off Krokhotina and Puiac, 6-1, on court two to force the deciding court.

Morozova and Drame defeated Izabella Pitchford and Mackenzie Lukin, 6-2, on court three to claim the doubles point for Houston.

The same three Cougars claimed the singles points as Schouten make quick work of Maily Huynh on court six, 6-3, 6-0.

Zeghlouli defeated Haily Nuynh on court three, 6-1, 6-3 to put the Cougars within one of clinching the match.

Krokhotina outlasted Isabella Pitchford, 7-5, in set one before sweeping the second, 6-0, on court five to secure the sweep.

MATCH 1 RESULTS
Doubles
Kei Kato/Ramey Yu (UCR) vs. Chems Doha Zeghlouli/Sophie Schouten (UH) 6-6, unfinished
Valeriia Krokhotina/Alexia Lavinia Puiac (UH) def. Susannah Su/Katarina Curcic (UCR) 6-2
Petja Drame/Elizaveta Morozova (UH) def. Crystal Kim/Camile Li (UCR) 6-4

Singles
Ramey Yu (UCR) vs. Elizaveta Morozova (UH) 3-6, 1-3, unfinished
Kei Kato (UCR vs. Alexia Lavinia Puiac (UH) 6-3, 3-3, unfinished
Chems Doha Zeghlouli (UH) def. Susannah Su (UCR) 6-0, 6-2
Crystal Kim (UCR) vs. Iva Sepa (UH) 6(4)-7, 2-3, unfinished
Valeriia Krokhotina (UH) def. Camile Li (UCR) 6-1, 6-4
Sophie Schouten (UH) def. Katarina Curcic (UCR) 6-1, 6-2

MATCH 2 RESULTS
Doubles
Chems Doha Zeghlouli/Sophie Schouten (UH) def. Amanda Perez/Carolyna Fowler (UCI) 6-3
Haily Nuynh/Yen Nhi Nuynh (UCI) def. Valeriia Krokhotina/Alexia Livinia Puiac (UH) 6-1
Elizaveta Morozova/Petja Drame (UH) def. Isaella Pitchford/Mackenzie Lukin (UCI) 6-2

Singles
Yen Nhi Huynh (UCI) vs. Elizaveta Morozova (UH) 6-3, 5-2, unfinished
Amanda Perez (UCI) vs. Alexia Lavinia Puiac (UH) 7-5, 4-1, unfinished
Chems Doha Zeghlouli (UH) def. Haily Nuyhn(UCI) 6-1, 6-3
Carolyna Fowler] (UCI) vs. Petja Drame (UH) 6-3, 4-0, unfinished
Valeriia Krokhotina (UH) def. Isabella Pitchford (UCI) 7-5, 6-0
Sophie Schouten (UH) def. Maily Nuynh (UCI) 6-3, 6-0

UP NEXT
Houston wraps up its opening weekend in Los Angeles against LMU at 1 p.m. CT, Sunday at LMU Tennis Center. Fans can tune into the match here, or follow live stats here.

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– UHCougars.com –