SMU Women's Tennis Hosts Pair of Matches This Weekend

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SMU Women's Tennis Hosts Pair of Matches This Weekend
Mustangs Welcome C-USA Foe Houston, Texas A&M Corpus Christi


Feb. 21, 2008

DALLAS (SMU)--The No. 60 SMU women's tennis team kicks off Conference USA action this weekend as they host in-state rival Houston Saturday at noon at Highland Park High School (maps, directions). The Mustangs also host Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Sunday at 11am at the Bent Tree Country Club (maps, directions).

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS SMU enters the weekend ranked No. 60 in the country with a 6-2 overall record. Their only losses have been to then-No. 44 NC State and then-No. 15 Duke, both coming last weekend. The Mustangs are led by Natalia Bubien, Pavi Francis and Kseniia Tokarieva in singles. Bubien, who plays at No. 1 has recorded a 5-2 singles record, having defeated two nationally-ranked opponents this season. Bubien recently earned her first singles ranking this season, coming in at #73 in the latest ITA poll. Francis, a sophomore, has a 5-3 record this season and improves virtually every match she plays. Tokarieva is 7-1 this season, having defeated one nationally-ranked opponent and nearly upset a second. In doubles, Nicole Briceno and Tokarieva boast a 6-1 overall record, followed closely by Bubien/Francis, who own a 5-2 record. Briceno and Tokarieva are gaining national attention with their outstanding play, earning a #38 ranking in the latest ITA poll. Tokarieva and Briceno upset the then-#21 pair in the nation last weekend at Duke and will look to carry that success into this weekend's matches. Overall, the Mustangs carry a 32-16 (.667) singles record and a 17-7 (.708) doubles record.


LAST TIME OUT The Mustangs dropped both their matches last weekend to No. 44 NC State, 5-2 and No. 15 Duke, 7-0. Against NC State, Bubien/Francis defeated Berkeley Brock and Daria Petrovic at No. 1 doubles, 8-1, but the Pack just squeaked by Tokarieva/Briceno 9-8 (6-0) to capture the doubles point. In singles, Bubien nearly upset then-#79 Daria Petrovic, but Petrovic outlasted Bubien at No. 1, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Tokarieva dominated #97 Brock, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 and Francis picked up a crucial come-from-behind win at No. 3, 2-6, 7-6 (1-0), 6-4 to notch the Mustangs' second point. The bottom of the lineup played hard, but the Mustangs were unable to overturn the Pack. At No. 15 Duke, Bubien stole a set from Tara Iyer at No. 1 singles, but eventually fell 6-1, 1-6, 6-2. Tokarieva came dangerously close to beating then-#5 Ellah Nze, but ultimately dropped, 7-5, 6-4. But the big story against the Blue Devils was Tokarieva/Briceno's victory over then-#21 Elizabeth Plotkin and Ellah Nze, 8-7 (8-6).

SCOUTING THE COUGARS Houston is 6-4 entering the weekend, with losses to Texas A&M, Southern Miss, Arizona and Arizona State. Prior to their arrival in Dallas, the Cougars will face Louisiana Tech and Grambling State on Feb. 22. The Cougars are led in singles by Vicky Simpson and Leila Salek. Simpson has a 7-2 singles record this season, with the bulk of her wins coming at the five and six slots in the lineup. Salek, 7-2, predominately plays near the top of the order, with most of her wins coming at Nos. 1 and 2. The Cougars own an overall singles record of 37-23 (.617) and 17-10 (.630) in doubles. Salek and Simpson pair for Houston at No. 3 and have built a 4-1 mark for the season, while Joanna Kacprzyk and Lynley Wasson hold down the second spot with a perfect 4-0 record.

SCOUTING THE ISLANDERS The Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders are 1-0 this season, having beaten Prairie View A&M, 6-0 on Feb. 5. The day before facing the Mustangs, the Islanders will face Rice in Houston.

LOOKING AHEAD The Mustangs will face crosstown rival TCU on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in Ft. Worth.

For the complete schedule and results, log on to SMUMustangs.com.

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When is the new stadium supposed to be finished?