Wildcats Ready to Host First Home Matches of Season
Jan 19, 2017 | Tennis
WEEKEND PREVIEW
BODY FIRST WELLNESS CENTER (INDOORS) | MIKE GOSS STADIUM (OUTDOORS)
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The K-State women’s
tennis team will open its home schedule Saturday, January 21, with a doubleheader
against South Dakota at 10 a.m. and UMKC at 3 p.m. at the Body First Wellness
and Recreation Center.
The Wildcats seek their first win of the 2017 spring season after losing to Washington, 7-0, and Hawaii, 4-3, in Honolulu last weekend to start the year.
“We saw improvements from our first match to our second one,” said head coach Danielle Steinberg. “I am confident this trend will continue this weekend and every match we play onwards. We had couple of good practices already since we got back, and it's evident the team is getting more comfortable and confident every day.”
Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between K-State and South Dakota, which is opening its spring season in Manhattan. The Coyotes finished second in The Summit League with 11 wins a year ago. South Dakota is led by sophomore Ellie Burns who has a career singles record of 21-13.
UMKC is also opening its season Saturday. UMKC had a record of 7-16 last season, good enough for third in the WAC standings. The Roos are led by Raquel Argenal, a senior with 34 career singles wins. K-State defeated UMKC last March, 7-0, leads the all-time series, 3-0.
K-State picked up three individual victories in Hawaii from Livia Cirnu, Palma Juhasz and Ines Mesquita. They each sit at 1-1 to start the year. Mesquita played at the No. 4 position in her first collegiate action.
Carolina Costamagna played at the No. 1 position last weekend and played against tough nationally ranked talent.
Playing in the No. 2 position, the doubles team of Costamagna and Juhasz up a 6-1 win in the season opener against Washington. The Central Region’s 10th-ranked duo owns the Wildcats’ lone doubles victory on the young season.
“A doubleheader is never easy physically and mentally, regardless of who you play. Saturday will be a physical test, and will allow us to get a lot of matches in, which is exactly what we need at this point. I think it fits perfectly with where we are in our season's preparations,” said Steinberg.
Saturday’s action starts a five-match home stand for K-State. Next, the Wildcats will have a doubleheader against Missouri State and UConn Friday, February 3, beginning at 10 a.m.
