University of Minnesota Athletics
Nationally-Ranked Teams Set to Visit Gophers
2/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Two nationally-ranked squads visit the Baseline Tennis Center to face the Minnesota women’s tennis team this weekend in non-conference dual matches.
The Gophers, ranked 66th nationally, will meet 44th-ranked Marshall on Friday at 6 p.m. and take on 36th-ranked Washington on Sunday at 11 a.m. Marshall and Washington will also face each other on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center.
Minnesota is 4-2 overall after picking up three wins last weekend. The Gophers beat Iowa State and Miami (Ohio) 5-2 and defeated Carleton 7-0. All 11 players who competed for Minnesota on Sunday against Miami and Carleton earned either a singles or doubles victory.
Tijana Koprivica is 4-0 in singles matches this spring with wins at four different positions in the lineup. She is currently 11-8 overall for the season and also teamed with Niltooli Wilkins for two wins at No. 2 doubles last weekend against Iowa State and Miami.
Freshman Magdalena Wiecha is also coming off a successful weekend with two victories at No. 6 singles and wins in two of three doubles matches, including a pair of wins with Jackie Sperling.
Marshall is 5-2 overall and coming off a 7-0 win over Penn State on Sunday. The Herd feature one of the nation’s top players in Kellie Schmitt, who is 6-1 in dual matches and ranked 33rd in the country. She has also joined Karolina Soor for a 6-1 record at No. 1 doubles and a No. 44 national ranking. The Gophers are 1-1 all-time against the Herd since a 7-2 loss in 2004 in Huntington, W.V.
Washington is 4-1 with the only loss coming in its most recent match against last year’s national runner-up, California. The Huskies feature 81st-ranked Venise Chan, who is 12-2 this season and 5-0 in dual matches. Chan and Denise Dy are 10-2 in doubles and ranked 47th nationally. The Gophers are 3-0 all-time against the Huskies and the teams are meeting for the first time since a 7-2 Minnesota victory in 1994 in Tucson, Ariz.
Live stats from all the weekend matches will be available by clicking here.
