Alabama Women’s Tennis Remains Home This Weekend Hosting Kentucky and Vanderbilt
3/22/2017 3:40:00 PM | Women's Tennis
The Crimson Tide takes on Kentucky on Friday at 4 p.m. CT and Vanderbilt on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama women's tennis team is set to hosts a pair of Southeastern Conference foes this weekend. The Crimson Tide (6-10, 0-6 SEC) will square off against the 13th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats on Friday at 4 p.m. CT at the Alabama Tennis Stadium, before turning around to face No. 8 Vanderbilt on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
Promotions:
Friday's contest marks this year's Power of Pink match, where cancer survivors will be recognized before the match. It's also international night, and we will recognize those on the Alabama roster from overseas. Fans will have the opportunity to receive double Crimson Tide Rewards points from attending the match. There will also be live music played by Angela and the Able Brothers, free burgers and hotdogs and Power of Pink giveaways.
Sunday's match will serve as Recreation Day, where Alabama players will be available to play for 30 minutes after the match on the tennis courts with fans. Alabama posters, magnets and shakers will be given away during the match.
Last Time Out:
The Tide went 0-2 last weekend, as it lost a 4-3 thriller to then-No. 27 LSU on Friday night, before dropping a 5-2 decision to then-No. 22 Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon.
Alabama Notes:
The Alabama women's tennis team earned a No. 45 national ranking, which was announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Tuesday. The Tide has one singles player and a doubles tandem that are nationally ranked.
Alabama boasts 40 wins in singles play since beginning the dual match season and 22 victories in doubles.
Senior Erin Routliffe climbed 21 spots to earn a No. 38 ranking in singles after compiling a 9-3 record since the beginning the dual match season, with all of her matches coming from the No. 1 position. Routliffe has registered seven wins over nationally-ranked singles opponents, and last weekend she defeated Texas A&M's then-No. 39 ranked singles player Rachel Pierson in straight sets, 7-5, 7-6.
Routliffe and freshman Maddie Pothoff remain ranked No. 25 in doubles play after posting a stellar 8-3 record since the beginning of the spring season with all matches coming from the No. 1 spot.
Kentucky Notes:
Kentucky enters Friday's match with a 12-2 overall record including a 4-1 mark in league play. Last weekend, the Wildcats topped Vanderbilt in a 4-2 decision in its lone contest of the weekend.
Kentucky has three doubles teams and two singles players that are nationally ranked. Aldila Sutjiadi and Akvile Parazinskaite are ranked No. 19 and No. 125 in singles, respectively. Sutjiadi teamed up with Mami Adachi to earn a No. 4 doubles ranking, while Justina Mikulskyte and Lesedi Jacobs are ranked No. 40. Sutjiadi and Parazinskaite partnered up to achieve a No. 57 doubles ranking.
Vanderbilt:
Vanderbilt currently has a 9-5 overall record including a 4-1 mark in conference action. The Commodores will take on in-state rival Auburn on Friday night, before facing the Tide on Sunday. Last weekend, Vanderbilt dropped a 4-2 decision on the road to the Kentucky Wildcats in its lone match of the weekend.
The Commodores have three singles players and two doubles teams that are nationally ranked. Astra Sharma, Sydney Campbell and Christina Rosca are ranked No. 5, No. 12 and No. 93 in singles, respectively. Sharma teamed up with Emily Smith to earn a No. 8 doubles ranking, and Sharma is also ranked No. 77 in doubles with partner Emma Kurtz.
Series History:
When Alabama and Kentucky face each other on Friday it will mark the 41st time the two programs have met, dating back the 1981 season. The Wildcats hold a 27-13 advantage in the series. Last year, Kentucky topped Alabama in a 4-3 decision in Lexington, Ky. The last time the Tide defeated the Wildcats was during the 2014 season, when Alabama shutout Kentucky, 4-0.
When the Tide and the Commodores square off against each other on Sunday it will mark the 43rd time the two schools have met on the courts. Vanderbilt holds a 25-17 advantage in the series. Last year, the Commodores defeated the Tide in a 6-1 decision. The last time Alabama topped Vanderbilt was during the 2013 season, when the Tide claimed a 4-3 victory over the Commodores.
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Players Mentioned
