Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, February 19
Manhattan, Kan.
1:00 PM
Kansas State University
vs
Wichita State
‘Cats Continue Homestand with AAC, Pac-12 Matchups
Feb 18, 2021 | Tennis
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State women's tennis team continues its homestand this weekend with another pair of non-conference matchups against Wichita State on Friday, February 19 at 1 p.m., CT, and against Arizona on Sunday, February 21 at 10 a.m., CT.
Under COVID-19 precautions, no fans or spectators will be allowed inside Body First Tennis Center this weekend.
"I might sound like a broken record to our team, but if we maintain our brand and speed of tennis then we're going to be great," said head coach Jordan Smith. "Wichita State and Arizona are going to push us for sure. Nothing will come easy from either team."
The Wildcats, who posted two home wins over Drake and Denver on February 12-13, will look to continue to ride the hot hand in this weekend's home slate against Wichita State and Arizona.
There were two different story lines in each match, but the result stayed the same for the streaking Wildcats. After defeating Drake with a perfect 7-0 score last Friday, K-State needed a furious comeback from sophomore Karine-Marion Job in the final set of the No. 1 matchup to seal the weekend sweep over Denver on Saturday afternoon. Job – who trailed 3-4 in the third set in her battle with No. 117 Taylor Melville – trudged her way to a 6-4 victory to earn the final point of the match for K-State.
The victory over Denver's ace brought Job's record in the No. 1 spot to an even 2-2 mark for the spring campaign. It was her first win over an ITA ranked opponent in her career, as the Lyon, France, native snapped an 0-6 drought in singles play.
K-State also soared in other positions across the singles lineup, with junior Anna Turco (2-0), freshman Manami Ukita (2-0) and senior Lilla Barzo (1-0) finishing the first home stint with unblemished records over the two-match stretch.
Ukita has blossomed in her first season with the Wildcats, as the Saitama, Japan, product has recorded a 13-4 (2-1) mark in singles' competition thus far in 2020-21.
Along with a strong showing in singles play, the Wildcats poured it on in doubles' competition, as the team registered its first doubles points of the season in the opening stages of each match.
Job and junior teammate Maria Linares led the charge for the Wildcats with impressive outings in the No. 1 slate, as both Wildcats outmaneuvered Drake's Liza Petushkova and Maria Tatarnikova with a 6-4 set win on Friday, which rolled over into Sunday's 6-1 upset against Denver's No. 36 nationally ranked pairing of Taylor Melville and Hada Chang.
A key factor that has played a part for K-State's success in doubles play comes from the No. 3 slot, as Ukita and Barzo raked in two victories to ignite an early fire in the matches against the Bulldogs and Pioneers. It was the first time Barzo and Ukita had been paired together in dual-match play.
"I was very impressed with our response and confidence in the match against Denver," said Smith. "We took a big step forward from our previous match."
Scouting the competition, the Shockers will bring a ton of firepower to Body First Tennis Center for Friday's dual, as Wichita State owns the No. 23 ranking the ITA National Doubles poll due to Marta Bellucco and Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva's play from the No. 1 position. Bellucco and Saidhujaeva both sit with a 4-2 mark in doubles' competition in 2021, which features wins over Kansas and Drake opponents.
In Sunday's showdown with Pac-12 foe Arizona, K-State will have its hands full as the Wildcats arrive to the Midwest with a 6-1 record. Arizona will be looking to avenge a 2020 defeat from K-State, as the K-State Wildcats handed Arizona a 4-3 loss last year in Tucson, Arizona.
The Wildcats next scheduled match will take place in Dallas, Texas for a battle with SMU on March 3, as the non-conference schedule carries on.
"Excited for another opportunity to compete and play tennis this weekend," Smith said.
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
Under COVID-19 precautions, no fans or spectators will be allowed inside Body First Tennis Center this weekend.
"I might sound like a broken record to our team, but if we maintain our brand and speed of tennis then we're going to be great," said head coach Jordan Smith. "Wichita State and Arizona are going to push us for sure. Nothing will come easy from either team."
The Wildcats, who posted two home wins over Drake and Denver on February 12-13, will look to continue to ride the hot hand in this weekend's home slate against Wichita State and Arizona.
There were two different story lines in each match, but the result stayed the same for the streaking Wildcats. After defeating Drake with a perfect 7-0 score last Friday, K-State needed a furious comeback from sophomore Karine-Marion Job in the final set of the No. 1 matchup to seal the weekend sweep over Denver on Saturday afternoon. Job – who trailed 3-4 in the third set in her battle with No. 117 Taylor Melville – trudged her way to a 6-4 victory to earn the final point of the match for K-State.
The victory over Denver's ace brought Job's record in the No. 1 spot to an even 2-2 mark for the spring campaign. It was her first win over an ITA ranked opponent in her career, as the Lyon, France, native snapped an 0-6 drought in singles play.
K-State also soared in other positions across the singles lineup, with junior Anna Turco (2-0), freshman Manami Ukita (2-0) and senior Lilla Barzo (1-0) finishing the first home stint with unblemished records over the two-match stretch.
Ukita has blossomed in her first season with the Wildcats, as the Saitama, Japan, product has recorded a 13-4 (2-1) mark in singles' competition thus far in 2020-21.
Along with a strong showing in singles play, the Wildcats poured it on in doubles' competition, as the team registered its first doubles points of the season in the opening stages of each match.
Job and junior teammate Maria Linares led the charge for the Wildcats with impressive outings in the No. 1 slate, as both Wildcats outmaneuvered Drake's Liza Petushkova and Maria Tatarnikova with a 6-4 set win on Friday, which rolled over into Sunday's 6-1 upset against Denver's No. 36 nationally ranked pairing of Taylor Melville and Hada Chang.
A key factor that has played a part for K-State's success in doubles play comes from the No. 3 slot, as Ukita and Barzo raked in two victories to ignite an early fire in the matches against the Bulldogs and Pioneers. It was the first time Barzo and Ukita had been paired together in dual-match play.
"I was very impressed with our response and confidence in the match against Denver," said Smith. "We took a big step forward from our previous match."
Scouting the competition, the Shockers will bring a ton of firepower to Body First Tennis Center for Friday's dual, as Wichita State owns the No. 23 ranking the ITA National Doubles poll due to Marta Bellucco and Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva's play from the No. 1 position. Bellucco and Saidhujaeva both sit with a 4-2 mark in doubles' competition in 2021, which features wins over Kansas and Drake opponents.
In Sunday's showdown with Pac-12 foe Arizona, K-State will have its hands full as the Wildcats arrive to the Midwest with a 6-1 record. Arizona will be looking to avenge a 2020 defeat from K-State, as the K-State Wildcats handed Arizona a 4-3 loss last year in Tucson, Arizona.
The Wildcats next scheduled match will take place in Dallas, Texas for a battle with SMU on March 3, as the non-conference schedule carries on.
"Excited for another opportunity to compete and play tennis this weekend," Smith said.
For the latest on K-State tennis follow @kstatesports and @KStateTEN on Twitter or Kansas State Tennis on Facebook.
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