COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 33 Maryland women's tennis team will head to Illinois for a weekend series against Big Ten foes Northwestern and Illinois.
The Terps come into the weekend tied for best road record through six matches in program history. Maryland's 6-0 start matches the 1977-78 squad that went 6-0 away from College Park to begin its season.
LAST TIME OUT
Maryland finished up its non-conference schedule with an impressive 5-2 win over Liberty. The Terps earned the doubles point for the 11th consecutive match and then took three of the first four singles matches to clinch the victory.
Senior Alexandra Stanova led the way for the Terps. She took home a win in doubles with partner Kristina Hovsepyan, and then dominated at first singles to help propel Maryland to a victory.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
No. 47 Northwestern (5-8, 1-0 B1G) will be Maryland's toughest conference opponent to date. The Wildcats are a tested bunch, and have played seven matches against teams ranked in the ITAs Top 25. They will come into their match with the Terps having faced four consecutive ranked opponents, with their most recent match ending in a 7-0 loss against No. 6 Georgia Tech.
The Wildcats are 1-0 in the Big Ten this season after picking up a 6-1 win over Illinois in February.
Maryland and Northwestern met once last season. Northwestern won by a 6-1 score, with Cassandre Thebault picking up a point for the Terps. Maryland is 0-2 against Northwestern since joining the Big Ten.
Maddie Lipp will lead the charge for the Wildcats. The redshirt junior is No. 114 ranked singles player in the country and her doubles pairing with Alex Chatt is No. 10 in the country. The duo has a 6-3 dual match record this season and a 16-6 overall record.
Opening serve between the Terps and Wildcats will be at 11 a.m. Live stream is available for purchase and live scoring will be available as well.
SCOUTING THE ILLINI
Illinois (5-9, 0-1 B1G) and Maryland will square off on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Illini will host Rutgers on Saturday before welcoming the Terps to Champaign.
The Illini have faced six ranked opponents this season, including four in the ITAs Top 25. They are 0-6 in matches against ranked opponents.
Illinois is 0-1 in the Big Ten this season, with their loss coming against in-state rival Northwestern.
The Terps lost both matches against Illinois last season. The Illini defeated Maryland in College Park during the regular season, and then ended Maryland's season in the Big Ten Conference Tournament. Maryland is 0-3 against Illinois since joining the Big Ten.
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 11-1 record. Maryland's 11 victories surpasses 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 6-0 road record is tied for the 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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