Wildcats Host K-State Fall Invite This Weekend

MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the first time since 2013, the Kansas State women's tennis team will host a fall tournament with the K-State Fall Invite taking place on Friday, October 30 through Sunday, November 1 at the Mike Goss Tennis Stadium. The tournament will include Big 12 foes Iowa State and Kansas.

The second tournament this fall season for the Wildcats, the K-State Fall Invite will include both doubles and singles play for the duration of the event. Sessions will begin each day at 10:30 a.m., CT with doubles matches followed by singles play starting in the afternoon.

"It's exciting that we're able to host a fall tournament on campus," said head coach Jordan Smith. "It's been far too long since we've been able to host one. Thankfully, the weather is nice this weekend, so we can be outdoors."

Fans and spectators who attend the K-State Fall Invite must use the Denison side entrance of Mike Goss Tennis Stadium to view the tournament. Those who enter the complex must always be wearing a mask while viewing the matches this weekend.

This will be the first fall tournament since 2013 in Manhattan, Kansas, when K-State was joined in a field that included regional foes Wichita State, Omaha, and Kansas City. The Wildcats posted a 13-5 record in singles play in that tournament seven years ago to go along with five more victories in doubles' action.

K-State tallied 13 singles' wins in its first fall event back on October 2-4 at the Kansas Invitational at the Jayhawk Tennis Center in Lawrence, Kansas. Those 13 victories tied for the most wins at a fall tournament since also posting 13 wins at the ITA Central Regional Championship on October 22, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma.

Among the 13 victories at the Kansas Invitational were six coming from junior Rosanna Maffei and freshman Manami Ukita, who each grabbed three victories against Iowa State and Kansas opponents. Juniors Karine-Marion Job and Ioana Gheorghita and senior Lilla Barzo also performed well at the tournament with each clinching two victories in singles competition. Barzo, who did not play during the fall season last year, is off to a nice start for her senior campaign with a 2-1 mark, along with Gheorghita (2-1) and Job (2-1).

Doubles play featured the return of junior tandem Maria Linares and Karine-Marion Job, who posted a dominant 3-0 record in Lawrence, Kansas earlier this month. Since the Spring 2020 season, both players now hold an 8-2 mark in doubles play when paired together on the court.

"We should know what to expect competing against the same two teams as last month," said Smith. "I think we've improved a lot in our doubles since our last tournament. I was happy with our results before with limited doubles preparation. Hopefully, we can build on that earlier performance not that we are more established in doubles."

Both Kansas and Iowa State are now entering their third bout of the fall campaign against one another, as both teams have faced off once at the ITA Fall Circuit Championship and at the Kansas Invitational.

One player from each conference rival was ranked in the ITA Top 125 Singles Poll during the spring season, including Kansas' Sonia Smagina at No. 78 and Iowa State's Thasaporn Naklo at No. 119.

"The main focus for this team is how well they can define themselves on day three," stated Smith. "We faded in some areas last time out after starting strong the first two days. Of course, it is difficult to put it all out there for three days in a row. However, if we want to be a true Big 12 Conference Tournament contender where you have to play three or four days in a row, then these fall events are how we can show our worth for our goals in the spring."

The 2020 fall slate will conclude with the inaugural Big 12 Fall Individuals event in Stillwater, Oklahoma. All nine conference foes will compete in the tournament that will run from Friday-Sunday, November 6-8 at the Greenwood Tennis Center, which can be found at Oklahoma State's Athletic Village.

For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Ioana Gheorghita

Karine-Marion Job

Maria Linares

Rosanna Maffei

Manami Ukita

Kansas State University Athletics