# #

Tennis Hosts Nationally Ranked Opponents

by CUBuffs.com
Apr 14, 2011

BOULDER - It's the final home weekend of Big 12 Conference tennis at the University of Colorado as the Buffaloes host a pair of nationally ranked opponents at the South Campus Courts. On Friday, the Buffs host No. 44 Texas Tech at 2 p.m., and on Sunday, No. 7 Baylor (11 a.m.). Both opponents will be making their last visit to Boulder as conference foes.

Due to recent inclement weather this week in Boulder, Friday's match with the Red Raiders is still scheduled at the South Campus Courts. In case of a changed venue, the match will then be played at Pinehurst Country Club in Denver beginning at 6 p.m.

The Buffaloes (3-14, 0-7 Big 12) are struggling with injuries and youth this spring season and host a Texas Tech (15-5, 5-2) team that has won 11 of its last 13 matches. The Red Raiders have one nationally ranked singles player in Elizabeth Ullathorne at No. 105, however all three doubles teams have identical 5-2 conference records. TTU has won all five of their Big 12 matches when winning the doubles point.

CU is led by freshman Kristina Schleich with eight dual match singles victories, followed by junior Michala Hedelund Jensen, and freshmen Winde Janssens and Carla Manzi Tenorio with five apiece. Janssens leads the Buffs with three Big 12 wins, all at No. 4 singles.

On Sunday, CU will face the No. 7 ranked Bears (19-3, 7-1). Baylor has won nine-straight since a surprising 4-3 upset loss to No.  53 Kansas State in Waco. The Bears are well-represented in the national singles rankings with Sona Novakova (No. 11), Nina Secerbegovic (No. 40), Diana Nakic (No. 46), and Jelena Stanivuk (No. 117). In doubles, the Bears have Novakova/Secerbegovic (No. 18) and Secerbegovic/Stanivuk (No. 71).

CU's last home match of the spring will be played next Wednesday against No. 34 Nebraska (2 p.m.).

Other CU Notes:

  • Hedelund Jensen and Schleich each have 16 wins for the year, followed by Manzi Tenorio with 13.
  • Senior Abbie Probert ranks seventh all-time on the school doubles victories list with 62; Hedelund Jensen ranks No. 25 with 41 wins. On the all-time singles/doubles list, Probert is No. 21 overall with 102 career wins.
  • All five CU women listed above each have two singles wins this year when dropping the first set, then rallying back to win the next two sets.

TEXAS TECH NOTES

  • If the conference season ended today, the Red Raiders would be the No. 5 seed and the Buffaloes the No. 12 setting up a rematch April 28 in Waco in the first round of the Big 12 Tennis Championships.
  • Entering today's match, the Red Raiders are stellar in all three doubles positions. All three tandems are 5-2 in Big 12 play. At No. 1 Kelsy Garland/Samantha Adams are tied for second among conference duos. At No. 2, Caroline Starck/Nikki Sanders are second overall, while the No. 3 doubles tandem of Elizabeth Ullathorne/Haley Fournier are tied for first.
  • TTU is 5-0 in Big 12 play when winning the doubles point; CU has not won the doubles point in seven conference matches.
  • In conference singles matches, the Red Raiders have three players that make up the Big 12 singles standings. At No. 1 singles: Elizabeth Ullathorne (4-3, t-5th overall); No. 2 Singles: Samantha Adams (5-2, t-2nd); No. 6 Singles: Nikki Sanders (6-1, 3rd).

Related News & Videos