COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland women's tennis team will wrap up its regular season schedule this weekend with two home matches against Big Ten foes Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The Terps will be looking to build momentum heading into the Big Ten Championships, which will take place at the University of Illinois, beginning on April 27.
LAST TIME OUT
Maryland set a program record for wins in a spring season with a 6-1 victory over Rutgers last weekend. Led by the strong play of seniors Alexandra Stanova and Kristina Hovsepyan, the Terps were able to control the match from start to finish and cruised to their 14th win of the season.
The Terps also received contributions from Ekaterina Tour, who earned her team-high 12th singles victory, as well as her team-leading 13th doubles win with partner Caroline Williams.
SCOUTING THE GOPHERS
Minnesota comes into College Park riding a two match winning streak after picking up wins over Purdue and Indiana last weekend. The Gophers are now 4-4 in the Big Ten this season, and will be looking to move up in the conference standings ahead of next weekend's conference tournament.
The Terps and Gophers have split their two matches since Maryland joined the Big Ten. Maryland was victorious last season, and Minnesota won the previous season's matchup.
Opening serve between the Terps and Gophers is set for 3 p.m. from the Tennis Club of College Park.
SCOUTING THE BADGERS
Maryland will close out its regular season slate against Wisconsin on Sunday. The Terps will honor seniors Alexandra Stanova, Kristina Hovsepyan, Cassandre Thebault and Olivia Gaudreault in pre-match ceremonies before taking on a Badger team that will be looking to close out their season with a victory.
The Badgers are winless in Big Ten play this season, and will be taking on Rutgers before heading to College Park. They have beaten the Terps both times the teams have met since Maryland joined the Big Ten. Both matches were decided by a final score of 4-3.
Senior Day festivities will begin on Sunday at around 11:45, with opening serve scheduled for noon at the Tennis Club of College Park.
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 14-5 record. Maryland's 14 victories surpasses the 2015-16 season's win total.
After strong performances throughout the spring season, Maryland doubles duo of Ekaterina Tour and Caroline Williams are currently ranked No. 82 in the country.
Maryland has benefited from the strong play of its doubles pairings this season, as the Terps has earned the doubles point in 16-of-19 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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