Women's Tennis Hosts a Pair of Matches this Weekend
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 26, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 58 ranked women's tennis team (4-3) returns home after a trip to the Pacific Northwest for a pair of matches this weekend. The Crimson Tide will battle No. 32 TCU (1-5) on Saturday, Feb. 27 at noon (CST) and Eastern Kentucky (4-6) on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m. (CST).
"We're very much looking forward to playing at home this weekend," UA head coach Jenny Mainz said. "We have our work cut out for us as we're playing a pair of high-caliber teams."
Alabama won its second straight match by virtue of a 5-2 victory over then-No. 73 Oregon in Eugene last Saturday. The Tide dropped the doubles point, but fought back from the early deficit to win five of six singles matches, including the final two in three sets. The two freshmen came through in the clutch again, with No. 68 Alexa Guarachi clinching the victory by winning 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 at the No. 2 position, while Antonia Foehse won 7-6(3), 6-3 at the No. 5 spot to put Alabama ahead 3-2. Foehse was awarded SEC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Week for her efforts, as she teamed up with junior Meritt Emery to win 8-4 at the No. 3 doubles position.
TCU heads to Tuscaloosa after a tough 4-3 loss to No. 8 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Wednesday. The Wolverines swept the doubles matches, but the Horned Frogs hung tough in singles action thanks to wins at the three top positions. Senior Nina Munich-Soegaard took down 16th-ranked Denise Muresan in three sets at the No. 1 spot. TCU has two players ranked inside the top 100 in singles, with junior Katariina Tuohimaa at No. 56 and sophomore Kayla Duncan at No. 78. Munich-Soegaard and Duncan are currently No. 22 in doubles. All six of the Horned Frogs' matches have come against ranked foes, with the lone win coming over No. 33 Texas. TCU has never defeated Alabama, losing both previous meetings, including last year's 4-3 decision in Forth Worth.
Eastern Kentucky is coming off a sweep of a doubleheader last weekend, defeating the University of the Cumberlands 6-0 and Georgetown College 7-0. The Colonels are 0-2 against teams currently ranked, being swept by No. 34 Marshall and No. 73 Akron. Eastern Kentucky has played only one match away from home this season, dropping a 7-0 decision to Louisville in the season opener. The Colonels are 0-1 against the Tide all-time, with Alabama taking the only meeting 6-3 in 1983. Current Tide assistant head coach Rahim Esmail served as the assistant coach for the Eastern Kentucky men's and women's tennis team for the 2007-08 season.
"I was pleased with our performance in Oregon last weekend, and feel that we gained confidence and momentum heading into this weekend," Mainz added. "The team has done an excellent job of battling and competing with tenacity. I'm expecting that same effort this weekend."
Next up, the Tide begins SEC action with a pair of road matches. Alabama travels to Athens to take on No. 16 Georgia on Friday, March 5 at 3:00 p.m. (CST) and Knoxville to battle No. 13 Tennessee on Sunday, March 7 at noon (CST).
