Terps Finish Non-Conference Slate at Liberty
3/21/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 33 Maryland women's team will play its third consecutive road match this week when the Terps head to Liberty for a mid-week matchup with the Flames.
LAST TIME OUT
Maryland won its fourth straight match last week when it defeated VCU, 4-3. The Terps got out to a fast start, earning the doubles point for the 10th consecutive match. Maryland's strong play continued in singles, and the Terps thwarted a strong effort by the Rams.
The match came down to the wire with the score tied at three and only one match left to play. Caroline Williams then stepped up for the Terps at sixth singles, and her 6-0, 6-3 preserved Maryland's undefeated road record.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
Liberty is 5-8 on the season, with an impressive 3-0 conference record. However, the Flames will come into their matchup with the Terps on a four-match losing skid. Their most recent competition ended in a 6-1 loss to No. 28 Tulsa.
Mariely Hassey has put together a nice season for the Flames in 2016-17. The senior leads the team with 13 singles victories and is 6-3 in her last nine matches. She will likely play on the back end of Liberty's lineup, but has been a solid force this spring.
KEEPING UP WITH THE TERPS
After an extremely successful fall campaign, the Terps have not slowed down at all, starting the spring season with a 10-1 record. Maryland's 10 victories matches the 2015-16 season's win total.
Maryland currently ranks No. 33 in the ITAs computerized rankings.
Maryland has benefited from the strong play of its doubles pairings this season, as the Terps have earned the doubles point in ten consecutive matches.
The road has been a friend to the Terps this season, and their 5-0 road record is second-best in program history.
The Terps' fall campaign featured five doubles championships, including one by seniors
Alexandra Stanova and Kristina Hovsepyan, who won the ITA Atlantic Regionals and advanced to ITA National Indoors in New York City. The duo has also shined this spring, with an impressive 5-0 record to start the season.
Sophomore Caroline Williams was a part of three of those doubles championships, teaming up with fellow sophomore Arnelle Sullivan to win the Bedford Cup, and then with junior Ekaterina Tour to win the Cissie Leary Invitational and the Kitty Harrison Invitational.
Maryland also had contributions from its two freshmen, Saya Usui and Katsiaryna Yemelyanenka. The two won their first collegiate doubles tournament when they took first place at the Tribe Invitational.
Maryland will come into the spring season featuring its first preseason-ranked singles player in five years. Junior Ekaterina Tour cracked the ITA Preseason Singles ranking, the first Terp to do so since Cristina Stancu in 2012. Tour was also ranked the No. 14 singles player in the Atlantic Region.
Teammates Alexandra Stanova and Kristina Hovsepyan were tabbed the No. 1 doubles duo in the Atlantic Region, and Stanova was named the No. 20 singles player in the Atlantic Region.
Be sure to keep up with the Terps on Twitter throughout the season.
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