March 23, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's tennis team will head east to Syracuse and West Point, NY, for two matches this weekend. Mizzou plays the Orange Saturday at 11 a.m. and Army Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Tigers take a break from their conference schedule this weekend for two non-conference matches between Syracuse from the BIG EAST and Army from the Patriot League.
Mizzou is 5-7 overall and 1-5 in the Big 12 after two losses on a tough road trip to Oklahoma. Last Friday (Mar. 16) the Tigers fell at Oklahoma, 5-2, and Saturday (Mar. 17) Mizzou lost to then-No. 50 Oklahoma State, 7-0. Earlier in the week, the tigers lost to Louisville, 4-3, at home.
The Big Orange
Syracuse is 4-7 on the spring and 1-3 in the BIG EAST. The Orange just completed a Spring Break Training Trip in Las Vegas. They were scheduled to face players from Indiana and Air Force, but results from those matches are not available. The Orange have not played a dual match since March 4, when they beat Brown, 4-3. They lost their most recent conference match to Marquette, 4-3, at home on March 2nd.
Junior Olga Votavova leads the Orange at No. 1 singles. Votavova is 6-3 in the No. 1 spot this spring. She is 2-0 at No. 2, but has played at No. 1 the last two matches. Sophomore Maria Vasilyeva will likely play at No. 2 for the Orange Saturday. She is 5-4 in that spot this spring, including two wins in her last two matches. She has split time with Votavova at No. 1, but she lost the two matches she played at the No. 1 spot. Syracuse is coached by former professional tennis star and ESPN commentator Luke Jensen, who is in his first year as SU's head coach. Mizzou is 2-0 against Syracuse all time.
Army
The Black Knights are 6-7 on the spring, with Patriot League matches against Holy Cross and Lafayette coming up on Saturday. Army is led by sophomore Nicki Flach at No. 1 singles. Through eight matches at No. 1, Flach is 2-6. Brooke Jones plays at No. 2 for Army, she is 5-1 in the No. 2 spot this spring. The Black Knights are coached by Paul Peck, who is 191-124 in over 11 years as coach of the Army team. Sunday's meeting will be the first between the two schools.
Tiger Notes
Sophomore Raquel Wagner had a good week, winning two of her three matches at No. 6 singles. She won at home against Louisville Monday and at Oklahoma Saturday, improving her spring dual record to 6-6. She has played in the No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 spots.
Last Friday against Oklahoma, junior Chrissy Svetlic earned her fifth victory of the spring and team-leading 16th overall. With at least nine matches left, she is six wins away from 15th on Mizzou's season singles wins list.
Seeing Double
Josbena and Pratzel's win against Louisville last week, Josbena now sits alone in sixth place on Mizzou's all-time doubles wins list with Nancy Dickens. Josbena's doubles record is now 59-62. The duo of Josbena and Pratzel is 15-13 during this season, including winning the Gopher Invitational and the Billiken Fall Classic. Former Tiger Shawna Guilfoil sits in fifth place with 67 wins. Josbena still has at least nine matches left this season.
After New York
The Tigers will come back to Big 12 land after their trip to prepare for the rest of their conference schedule. Mizzou will face Texas Tech and Baylor Mar. 31 and April 1, before returning to the Green Tennis Center for four matches in a row to close out the regular season. The Tigers still have Kansas, Iowa State, Wichita State and Texas at home.