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Tulsa Set For ITA Kickoff Weekend
1/25/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 25, 2012
Weekly Notes
TULSA, Okla. -The No. 22-ranked University of Tulsa women's tennis team will compete in the opening rounds of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship this weekend in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Golden Hurricane will face No. 33 North Carolina State in the first round at 9 am Jan. 27, and the winner of that match will face the winner of No. 19 Tennessee (host) and No. 58 UC Davis.
The 16 region winners will all travel to Charlottesville, Va., for the final four rounds of the tournament Feb. 17-20.
The Wolfpack is led by No. 40 Joelle Kissell, and UC Davis has no ranked individuals. Tennessee has three ranked singles players (No. 24 Natalie Pluskota, No. 27 Brynn Boren, No. 59 Kata Szekely) and two ranked doubles teams (No. 9 Natalie Pluskota/Kata Szekely, No. 18 Brynn Boren/Sarah Toti).
Tulsa coach Dean Orfordhas never faced N.C. State or UC Davis, and he is 0-1 against the Lady Vols.
LAST TIME OUT
Tulsa had a successful trip to the Bulldog Invitational Jan. 20-22. Senior Anastasia Erofeeva won all three singles matches from the top flight to pick up 24 points and bring home top honors in the singles competition. Sophomore Samantha Vickers also won her three singles matches from the second flight, earning her 21 points and second place. Erofeeva teamed with fellow senior Ewa Szatkowskato post a 2-1 doubles mark and take second place in the doubles competition.
EROFEEVA TIES SCHOOL RECORD FOR CAREER DOUBLES VICTORIES
Senior Anastasia Erofeeva won two of her three doubles matches at the Bulldog Invitational Jan. 20-22 to give her 91 career doubles victories. That mark ties former Tulsa great Alexandra Kichoutkin (2007-11) for first place in school history. Erofeeva also has 94 career singles victories, which is third in school history. Fellow senior Ewa Szatkowskahas teamed with Erofeeva for 66 of those 91 victories, and Szatkowska has 77 career doubles victories of her own, good for sixth on the school's all-time charts. Her 72 singles wins are eighth-most in school history.
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE ON DOCKET FOR GOLDEN HURRICANE
The 2012 schedule will be a daunting one for the Tulsa women's tennis team. The Golden Hurricane will face 16 teams who received a preseason ranking (top 75). Nine of those schools are ranked inside the top 50 and four earned preseason rankings inside the top 30 (No. 18 Tennessee, No. 24 Arkansas, No. 25 Oklahoma and No. 30 Yale). TU posted a 12-3 mark against ranked foes in 2011.
TULSA EARNS HIGHEST PRESEASON RANK IN SCHOOL HISTORY
The University of Tulsa women's tennis team was slotted at No. 22 in the most recent Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings released Jan. 24. TU was also ranked No. 22 in the preseason rankings, which was the highest preseason rank in school history. Sophomore Samantha Vickers was the highest ranked singles player, as she was slotted at No. 63 in the country. Senior Anastasia Erofeevaalso earned her highest-career singles rank of No. 78.
STREAKING AT HOME
Tulsa is currently riding a 26-match win streak at the friendly confines of Case Tennis Center. The streak began Feb. 21, 2010 with a 6-1 triumph over Kansas. The Golden Hurricane won its last 10 home matches in 2010, which included all three matches in the 2010 Conference USA Championship. Tulsa followed that up with an unblemished 14-0 mark at home in 2011. The last time TU fell at Case Tennis Center was Feb. 17, 2010, when the blue and gold dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to in-state rival Oklahoma. Coach Dean Orford has posted a ridiculous 87-11 (.888) home record during his six-plus seasons at the helm of the women's program.
