Terps To Wrap Up Road Schedule This Weekend
3/30/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 37 Maryland women's tennis team (11-3, 2-2 B1G) will wrap up its road schedule this weekend when the Terps take on Big Ten rivals Penn State and No. 2 Ohio State.
LAST TIME OUT
Maryland lost a tough match at Illinois last Sunday. After dropping the doubles point for just the second time all season, the Terps rallied back to take a 2-1 lead early in singles play.
The Illini were able to respond, and rallied off four-straight singles wins to take home a 5-2 victory. The loss at Illinois was just the Terps' second loss away from College Park this season and moved their conference record to 2-2.
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
Penn State (5-8, 2-1 B1G) will come into its match against the Terps fresh off its best win of the season. The Nittany Lions' 7-0 sweep of Big Ten foe Wisconsin was their second sweep of the season, and came on the heels of a 4-3 win over Minnesota.
The Terps and Nittany Lions have split their two meetings since Maryland joined the Big Ten. Maryland took home a 5-2, win last season, and Penn State emerged victorious in Maryland's first season in the conference.
Opening serve on Friday is scheduled for 5 p.m. Be sure to follow along on Twitter at @TerpTennis.
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
No. 2 Ohio State (16-2, 4-0 B1G) has been in the ITAs Top 10 the entire spring season. After debuting at No. 7, the Buckeyes have climbed and have been sitting in the No. 2 slot since the end of February.
The Buckeyes are undefeated in Columbus this season, and will face Rutgers and Dayton before hosting the Terps on Sunday. They have faced a challenging schedule this spring, with 14 matches coming against opponents currently ranked in the ITAs Top 50.
Ohio State has dominated in conference play so far, picking up a 7-0 wins over Wisconsin, Penn State and Minnesota, as well as a 5-1 victory against Michigan.
Three of the Buckeyes' doubles pairings are currently ranked within the ITAs Top 65. Francesa Di Lorenzo and Miho Kowase are currently No. 16, and Di Lorenzo is also No. 65 with teammate Anna Sanford. Grabriella De Santis and Sandy Niehaus currently rank No. 31.
The Buckeyes' entire singles lineup currently ranks in the Top 100. Di Lorenzo is the No. 1 singles player in the country, with Sanford and Niehaus coming in at No. 54 and No. 70 respectively. Kowase is ranked No. 72, De Santis is No. 80 and Ferny Angeles Paz is No. 92.
Maryland and Ohio State will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Live stream and stats from Columbus will be provided.
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 11-3 record. Maryland's 11 victories surpasses the 2015-16 season's win total.
Maryland currently ranks No. 37 in the ITAs computerized rankings.
Maryland has benefited from the strong play of its doubles pairings this season, as the Terps has earned the doubles point in 12-of-14 matches this season.
The road has been a friend to the Terps this season, and their 6-0 road start was 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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