March 6, 2008
SAN DIEGO -
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SDSU WOMEN'S TENNIS LOOKS TO END TWO-MATCH SKID; HOSTS PENN THIS WEEKEND
The 72nd-ranked San Diego State women's tennis team (5-6) will look to snap a two-match losing streak when it hosts the University of Pennsylvania, Saturday, March 8, at Aztec Tennis Center. First serve is set for noon PT.
Last week, the Scarlet and Black faltered in a pair of hard-fought contests to two ranked opponents. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, SDSU dropped a 5-2 decision at then No. 35 UC Irvine. The Aztecs dented the scoreboard first by winning the doubles point. Following a short break, the Anteaters surged ahead by a 3-1 count in singles play. Holly Bagshaw was able to pull SDSU back within one by pinning a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 defeat on Becky Bernhard at the top of the lineup, but UCI went on to clinch the match at the No. 5 spot.
On Sunday, March 2, San Diego State came out on the short end of a 4-3 score at then 52nd-ranked University of Arizona. Once again, the Aztecs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after doubles action. In singles play, SDSU went on to take a 2-1 advantage after Milana Yusupov downed Jane Huh, 6-2, 6-4, but the Wildcats countered by claiming the next three singles matches for the win. Sisse Nielsen tacked on one more point for the Scarlet and Black after the match had already been decided, as she outlasted Ariane Masschelein, 6-4, 6-7(5), 10-8.
SCOUTING THE QUAKERS
The University of Pennsylvania (3-1) begins its eight-day spring break trip to California at SDSU on Saturday. The Quakers will also make their way to UC Irvine, Pepperdine, Long Beach State and the University of San Diego.
Penn was last in action on Feb. 23, when it squeezed out a 4-3 victory over Maryland. The Quakers won the doubles point, which wound up being the deciding factor, as the two teams saw a 3-3 split in singles action.
Individually, Penn is led by senior and two-time first-team all-league selection Julia Koulbitskaya, who holds a 4-0 singles record in dual-match play. Also in the mix is sophomore Ekaterina Kosminskaya, who had a decorated freshman campaign, earning Ivy League Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, as well as being named the ITA East Region Player of the Year. As a duo, Koulbitskaya and Kosminskaya are currently ranked 17th in doubles and have a 2-0 mark in the spring.
Michael Dowd enters his 12th season at the helm of the Penn women's tennis program. Dowd has posted a 168-67 overall record, while leading the Quakers to three Ivy League titles and five NCAA tournament appearances in the last seven seasons.
SERIES HISTORY VS. PENN
This will mark just the second meeting between San Diego State and Penn, with the Aztecs holding the 1-0 advantage. SDSU has been successful against Ivy League schools in the past, as it leads the all-time series vs. the conference by a 19-3 count.
AZTECS IN THE POLLS
San Diego State is ranked 72nd in the nation according to the poll released March 4 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Individually, freshman Julia Trunk remained among the top 100 singles players in the nation, coming in at No. 86.
KRAUSOVA IN THE BOOKS
Senior Eliska Krausova ranks 11th on the all-time singles charts with 62 career victories. The Prague, Czech Republic, native is just one win away from breaking into the top 10. Krausova has posted at least 15 victories in each of her three years at SDSU and had a team-high 21 wins in 2006-07.
NIELSEN ON THE VERGE
Senior Sisse Nielsen is three wins away from cracking SDSU's all-time top 10 with 59 career individual doubles victories. The Alleroed, Denmark, native sits just behind Katalina Romero and current Aztec assistant coach Lindsey Gamp, who each have 62 triumphs to their credit. Along with former Aztec Dita Hauerlandova, Nielsen is also tied for sixth in the single-season record books, as the duo recorded 19 wins in 2005-06.
MATTERA AT THE HELM
Peter Mattera enters his 27th season at San Diego State and 15th as head coach of the Scarlet and Black. In 14 seasons, the Aztecs' mentor has guided SDSU to 10 postseason appearances, compiling a record of 217-146 (.598) in the process. Equally impressive is the fact that 12 of his 14 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.
FALL RECAP
San Diego State had several outstanding individual performances during the fall season, highlighted by Trunk's run at the ITA West Regionals where she defeated a pair of ranked opponents to reach the semifinals. Also, at the second SDSU Fall Classic, Bagshaw captured the Flight 1 singles title while Colman won Flight 4. Both Trunk and Colman concluded the fall with a team-high nine victories.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Since the opening of the Aztec Tennis Center in 2005, SDSU has won 69 percent of its home matches, posting a 29-13 record. All 13 defeats have come at the hands of teams ranked in the top 60.
STAY TUNED
San Diego State will continue its three-match homestand on Thursday, March 13, when No. 37 Wake Forest makes its way to the Aztec Tennis Center. SDSU will then have a week off before hosting Harvard on Tuesday, March 25. First serve for both matches is slated for 2 p.m. PT. The next two weeks will be the Aztecs' final tune-up before starting Mountain West Conference action.