Rice University Athletics
Saturday, May 2
Baton Rouge, LA
11 AM
Rice University
4
vs
2
TCU
Owls Take Down TCU to Advance to NCAA Second Round
5/2/2026 2:19:00 PM | Women's Tennis
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Rice women's tennis team defeated No. 21 TCU, 4-2, to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
The No. 42 Owls (18-6) secured their first NCAA Tournament victory since a 4-1 win over Clemson in 2016. For the third time this season, and the second match in a row, Rice rallied after dropping the doubles point to earn the win.
Head coach Elizabeth Schmidt improved to 7-9 in NCAA Tournament matches at Rice, and the Owls moved to 7-14 all-time. The victory also avenged a 4-0 loss to TCU earlier this season in Fort Worth.
In doubles play, Francesca Maguina and Ema Mravcova fell 7-5 to Raquel Chica and Jennifer Jackson. Rice dropped the doubles point when Divna Ratkovic and Daniela Chica were defeated 6-4 by Cayetana Lopez and Tomi Main. On Court 1, Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaityte were tied 5-5 when play was halted.
Rice came out strong in singles and led on five courts early. TCU claimed the first singles point as Schwartzman fell 6-2, 6-2 to Raquel Chica. The Owls responded with straight-set victories from Bakaityte, who defeated Cristina Sierra 6-2, 6-1, and Ratkovic, who topped Tu-Chin Tsai 6-2, 6-2, to even the match.
On Court 5, Nithesa Selvaraj battled to a 6-0, 7-5 win over Victoria Gomez O'Hayon. Maguina clinched the match, her sixth match-clinching point of the season, with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Jennifer Jackson. On Court 6, Mravcova was tied 6-2, 4-6 when play was suspended.
Rice will face the winner of LSU and Stephen F. Austin on Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the LSU Tennis Complex.
RESULTS
DOUBLES
D. Schwartzman/U. Bakaityte (RICE) vs V. Hayon/Y. Tsai (TCU) 5-5 uf
R. Chica/J. Jackson (TCU) def. F. Maguina/E. Mravcova (RICE) 7-5
C. Sancho/T. Main (TCU) def. D. Ratkovic/D. Chica (RICE) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3
SINGLES
R. Chica (TCU) def. D. Schwartzman (RICE) 6-2, 6-2
D. Ratkovic (RICE) def. Y. Tsai (TCU) 6-2, 6-2
U. Bakaityte (RICE) def. C. Sierra (TCU) 6-2, 6-1
F. Maguina (RICE) def. J. Jackson (TCU) 7-6, 6-4
N. Selvaraj (RICE) def. V. Hayon (TCU) 6-0, 7-5
E. Mravcova (RICE) vs C. Sancho (TCU) 6-2, 4-6 uf
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 5, 4
The No. 42 Owls (18-6) secured their first NCAA Tournament victory since a 4-1 win over Clemson in 2016. For the third time this season, and the second match in a row, Rice rallied after dropping the doubles point to earn the win.
Head coach Elizabeth Schmidt improved to 7-9 in NCAA Tournament matches at Rice, and the Owls moved to 7-14 all-time. The victory also avenged a 4-0 loss to TCU earlier this season in Fort Worth.
In doubles play, Francesca Maguina and Ema Mravcova fell 7-5 to Raquel Chica and Jennifer Jackson. Rice dropped the doubles point when Divna Ratkovic and Daniela Chica were defeated 6-4 by Cayetana Lopez and Tomi Main. On Court 1, Darya Schwartzman and Uma Bakaityte were tied 5-5 when play was halted.
Rice came out strong in singles and led on five courts early. TCU claimed the first singles point as Schwartzman fell 6-2, 6-2 to Raquel Chica. The Owls responded with straight-set victories from Bakaityte, who defeated Cristina Sierra 6-2, 6-1, and Ratkovic, who topped Tu-Chin Tsai 6-2, 6-2, to even the match.
On Court 5, Nithesa Selvaraj battled to a 6-0, 7-5 win over Victoria Gomez O'Hayon. Maguina clinched the match, her sixth match-clinching point of the season, with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Jennifer Jackson. On Court 6, Mravcova was tied 6-2, 4-6 when play was suspended.
Rice will face the winner of LSU and Stephen F. Austin on Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the LSU Tennis Complex.
RESULTS
DOUBLES
D. Schwartzman/U. Bakaityte (RICE) vs V. Hayon/Y. Tsai (TCU) 5-5 uf
R. Chica/J. Jackson (TCU) def. F. Maguina/E. Mravcova (RICE) 7-5
C. Sancho/T. Main (TCU) def. D. Ratkovic/D. Chica (RICE) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3
SINGLES
R. Chica (TCU) def. D. Schwartzman (RICE) 6-2, 6-2
D. Ratkovic (RICE) def. Y. Tsai (TCU) 6-2, 6-2
U. Bakaityte (RICE) def. C. Sierra (TCU) 6-2, 6-1
F. Maguina (RICE) def. J. Jackson (TCU) 7-6, 6-4
N. Selvaraj (RICE) def. V. Hayon (TCU) 6-0, 7-5
E. Mravcova (RICE) vs C. Sancho (TCU) 6-2, 4-6 uf
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 5, 4
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
WBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09
VB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02