DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU women's tennis team (6-6) will face No. 31 Kansas State (8-2) on Friday, March 9, and Georgia State (6-7) on Sunday, March 11, at the SMU Tennis Complex. The matches are slated to begin at 4 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.
The Mustangs return to Dallas following their first road matches of the season, a 1-1 trip to UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount. SMU won a 4-3 decision at UCSB on Tuesday, Feb. 27, picking up doubles wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Liza Buss picked up her first victory, a 6-0, 6-3 win at No. 2 singles, after missing multiple matches due to injury. The Mustangs travelled to Los Angeles to face LMU the following day, but dropped the match 6-1. SMU again secured the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No 3, but could not pick up any singles wins.
SCOUTING KANSAS STATE:
The Wildcats debuted on the Oracle/ITA National Rankings on Feb. 20 at No. 35. Kansas State comes to Dallas this weekend as the No. 31 team with its last two wins coming against ranked Missouri and William and Mary teams. Freshman Maria Linares leads the squad with a 9-1 singles record, followed by sophomore Ines Mesquita with a 7-2 record. Carolina Costamagna and Margot Decker combine for a 7-2 record at No. 1 doubles.
SCOUTING GEORGIA STATE:
The Mustangs last faced Georgia State in January's Metroplex Mania tournament, where they went undefeated against the Panthers in both singles and doubles play on separate days of competition. The team is led by senior Kristin Rehse, who began the spring ranked No. 108, and juniors Daniela Ramirez and Lara Vovk. Georgia State enters Dallas on a four-match slide, and will face Kansas State on Saturday before taking on SMU the following day.
SERIES INFO:
SMU last matched up against Kansas State in 2017, where the Mustangs claimed a 5-2 win and their first series victory. The series is an even 1-1 in Dallas.
SMU vs. Kansas State (1-2)
Home: 1-1, Away: 0-1, Neutral: 0-0
3/19/03..............H.............L ................4-3
3/6/16................A.............L ................4-3
3/18/17..............H.............W...............5-2
The Mustangs have just one prior matchup with the Georgia State Panthers, a 4-3 win at home last season.
SMU vs. Georgia State (1-0)
Home: 1-0, Away: 0-0, Neutral: 0-0
3/13/17..............H.............W...............4-3
LAST TIME OUT (VS. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT):
In the team's final match of its first road trip, SMU women's tennis (6-6) fell 6-1 at Loyola Marymount (5-2) on Wednesday.
The Mustangs led early by securing the doubles point. Tiffany Hollebeck and Anzhelika Shapovalova defeated Siobhan Anderson and Camila Tumosa, 6-3, while Nicole Petchey and Ana Perez-Lopez defeated Yesica De Lucas and Sofiya Gaisina, 6-1.
However SMU could not overpower the Lions in singles play. Liza Buss fell in her match with No. 22 Veronica Miroshnichenko, 6-3, 6-0, at the top position. Karina Traxler then lost, 6-4, 7-5, to Anderson at No. 3, ending her five-match win streak.
Shapovalova and Monarrez Yesaki each took their matches to a third set, but both were ultimately defeated. Shapovalova fell, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, at No. 2 and Monarrez Yesaki fell, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, at No. 5.
Matches played on, giving LMU's Tumosa a 7-6, 0-6, 6-1 win over Perez-Lopez and De Lucas a 4-6, 7-6, 10-7 win over Petchey.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Mustangs will face Troy on Friday, March 16, at noon before leaving for New Orleans for conference matchups against No. 26 Tulsa and Tulane on March 23 and 25.
FOLLOW THE MUSTANGS:
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU Women's Tennis on Twitter at @SMUTennis, Instagram at @SMUWomensTennis and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUTennisW. Follow SMU Athletics on Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.
