Jan. 21, 2010

Columbia, MO - The Missouri women's tennis team is set to host their first dual meets of the season on Saturday as they face Memphis (2-2) at 8 a.m. and No. 38 Ohio State (2-0) at 6 p.m. Each match will begin with a round of doubles, followed by singles play.

The Tigers are coming off of an impressive Hilton Garden Inn Eagle Invite that included newcomer Maria Christensen taking third place honors at No. 6 singles, and freshman Andrea Lewis and junior Maureen Modesto earning a tournament title at No. 4 doubles.

No. 38 Ohio State boasts a 2-0 record, claiming 7-0 wins over both Xavier and Cleveland State. The Buckeyes have yet to drop a set this spring, through two home duals.

The Memphis Tigers enter Columbia 2-2 with losses coming to No. 36 Tulsa, and defending National Champion and No.1 Duke. They have also picked up two road wins over Oral Roberts and North Carolina Central.

Looking to establish their home courts as a winning environment, Missouri head coach Blake Starkey enters the weekend with high expectations for his team. "With a road-heavy schedule, winning at home is going to be really important to our team," he said. "I'm looking very forward to seeing what we can do out there with our friends and families here to support us."

After Missouri's first match against Memphis at 8 a.m., Memphis and Ohio State will play one another at 1 p.m., followed by Missouri's evening match against Ohio State at 6 p.m. Stay tuned to mutigers.com for updates through the weekend.