Jan. 18, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Women's Tennis Weekly Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
SDSU WOMEN'S TENNIS OPENS 2007 DUAL-MATCH SEASON THIS WEEKEND
* The San Diego State women's tennis team kicks off its 2007 dual-match schedule with a home doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 20, against Cal State Fullerton (1-0) and UC Riverside (0-0) at Aztec Tennis Center. SDSU's clash with the Titans is slated to get underway at 9 a.m., followed by the Highlanders showdown at 3 p.m. This weekend's matches will mark the third straight year in which the Aztecs have opened their season with a twin bill featuring these same two Big West Conference opponents. In 2005, the Scarlet and Black defeated UCR and Fullerton, 5-2 and 6-1, respectively. Last year, SDSU engineered another sweep, shutting out the Highlanders, 7-0, then dominating the Titans, 6-1. SDSU will also be looking to extend its streak of 11 straight season-opening victories. The Aztecs were last defeated in an opening dual match on Jan. 23, 1996, when they dropped an 8-1 decision at Pepperdine, which was also the last time San Diego State began a season on the road.
SCOUTING THE TITANS
* Cal State Fullerton head coach Bill Reynolds enters his 18th year at the helm of the Titans with four letterwinners returning from a 2006 squad that finished the season 6-16 overall and 1-6 in Big West play. Individually, Fullerton is led by senior Gina Le, who earned second-team all-Big West singles recognition in 2006. Le posted a 15-12 mark last season, but finished in a flurry, winning 10 of her last 14 matches. This year, Le was tops on the team with five victories during fall competiton, followed by freshman Brandy Andrews, who emerged triumphant on four occasions. Saturday's contest with SDSU will be the Titans' second dual match of the season. Fullerton defeated NAIA-member Point Loma Nazerene, 9-0, on Oct. 18.
SERIES HISTORY VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON
* This is the third consecutive season in which San Diego State squares off against Fullerton after a 19-year hiatus in the series from 1986-2004. The Titans are one of five teams from the Big West Conference that the Aztecs have an undefeated record against. SDSU has taken all 20 meetings between the two Southern California schools. The 20 wins represents the highest total versus an opponent the Aztecs have not lost to and fourth-most against Big West competition.
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
* UC Riverside returns six letterwinners from last year's team which posted a 5-16 record overall and an 0-7 mark in the Big West. The youthful Highlanders, with just three upperclassmen on their roster, are led by sophomore Erynne Oki, who posted an 11-15 record in singles play during the 2006 season. Oki has already encountered one Aztec this season when she defeated senior Yuki Hagiwara, 6-1, 6-4, during the first round of the Wilson/ITA West Regional Championships at Barnes Tennis Center on Oct. 19. Also in the mix is junior H.R. Espiritu, who recorded a team-best nine victories in dual-match competition last year. Espiritu garnered second-team all-Big West honors in doubles following her freshman campaign in 2005. UCR is coached by Mark Henry, who enters his 12th season in charge of the Highlander women's program.
SERIES HISTORY VS. UC RIVERSIDE
* Despite their relatively close proximity, SDSU and UCR have only met on two previous occasions with the Aztecs winning both encounters in 2005 and 2006. Last season, SDSU captured the doubles point, then posted straight-set victories in all six singles matches en route to a 7-0 whitewash of the Highlanders. Two years ago, the Aztecs yielded the doubles point, but took five of six contests in singles competition to claim a 5-2 win at Barnes Tennis Center.
AZTECS IN THE POLLS
* San Diego State enters the 2007 campaign ranked 39th in the nation according to the first FILA Collegiate Tennis Rankings released Jan. 9 by the Intercollegiate Collegiate Tennis Association (ITA). The next team poll is scheduled to be released Jan. 30. Individually, sophomore Holly Bagshaw and junior Eliska Krausova were ranked among the top 100 singles players in the nation. Bagshaw came in at No. 51, while Krausova found herself in the 69th spot. This marks the first appearance of two Aztec players in the same singles poll since April 21, 2003, when Silvia Tornier and Lindsey Hedberg were ranked 86th and 96th, respectively. The next individual rankings will not be released until Feb. 18. In doubles, the tandem of Krausova and junior Sisse Nielsen finished the fall campaign ranked 14th in the West Region according to the ITA.
MATTERA MAGIC
* Peter Mattera enters his 26th season at San Diego State and 14th as head coach of the Scarlet and Black. In 13 seasons, the Aztecs' mentor has guided SDSU to nine postseason appearances, compiling a record of 203-124 (.621) in the process. Equally impressive is the fact that 11 of his 13 squads have finished with an overall record of .500 or better despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation on an annual basis.
HOME COOKING
* Since the opening of Aztec Tennis Center in 2005, SDSU has won 74 percent of its home matches, posting a 17-6 record. All six defeats have come at the hands of teams ranked inside the top 56, meaning the Aztecs are 5-0 against unranked opponents at the friendly confines of ATC.