University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Finish Non-Conference Play at FGCU
3/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
FORT MYERS, Fla- Fresh off a 4-3 win over Border Battle rival Wisconsin in its Big Ten opener, the No. 59 Minnesota women's tennis team completes its non-conference schedule Monday with a match at Florida Gulf Coast at 4 p.m. CT. After their match under the lights at the FGCU Tennis Complex, the Gophers continue conference action on the weekend at No. 13 Michigan and No. 73 Michigan State.
ABOUT FLORIDA GULF COAST
Florida Gulf Coast, which had its match against No. 26 Notre Dame rained out after doubles last week, is 2-8 on the season with of its losses coming against ranked opponents. Johanna Sterkel, whohas been the primary No. 3 and 4 singles player for the Eagles, leads the team in individual wins with a 7-2 record.Sarah Means has been the team's go-to option at No. 1 singles. Means and her sister, Elizabeth, play primarilty in the top doubles flight.
AGAINST THEEAGLES
Minnesota won the first-ever meeting between the schools last season, 6-1 in Florida. Current Gophers Tereza Brichacova, Jessika Mozia, Aria Lambert, and Paula Rincon-Otero won in singles and duos of Lambert and Rincon Otero and current redshirt junior Julia Courter and 2014 senior Natallia Pintusava won in doubles.
LAMBERT HEATING UP, MOVING UP
SeniorAria Lamberthas won nine of her last 10 matches and is 11-2 on the spring at four different positions. The wins have pushed the Deephaven, Minn. native's career singles win total to 73, tied for 16th on the school's all-time career wins list with Kim Simonsen
A GOOD PARTNER
Redshirt juniorJulia Courterhas stood out in doubles this season. She is 16-5 on the season with an 11-2 mark in the spring, playing alongside classmatesPaula RinconOtero andJessika Mozia. With a 6-3 win over South Dakota's Tacy Haws-Lay and Beatriz Souza alongside Mozia, Courter hit the 50-career win plateau in doubles. Now at 53-career singles wins, She is ranked 42nd nationally with Rincon-Otero.
FRESH IMPACT
The Gophers freshman class consists of only two members, but both play prominent roles on this year's Minnesota squad.Caroline Rybais 9-1 on the spring in singles at the Nos. 1 and 2 positions, including a 3-0 ledger at No. 1. By winning at No. 1, she became the first Gopher freshman to win a singles match in the top spot against a Division I opponent sinceNatallia Pintusavaaccomplished the feat in 2011.
Mehvish Safdarhas played at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles, helping pick up five victories. She also picked up her first spring singles win against South Dakota State and has since improved to 3-0. In the ITA's Central Region, Ryba is ranked 13th in singles, while Safdar and seniorTereza Brichacovaare seventh in doubles. In doubles Ryba and Safdar are 5-2 as a duo, including 3-1 in duals.
RETURNING TALENT
Minnesota lost three-time All-Big Ten selectionNatallia Pintusava, as well asYuliana UmanetsandPauline Gilbert, but returns several key players from a year ago. All-conference honoreeTereza Brichacovawon 10 singles matches at the No. 1 position last year. The senior Czech Republic native is one of three Gophers with 50 or more career singles wins (57). That list also includesAria Lambert(73),Jessika Mozia(59) andJulia Courter(57).
UP AND COMING
Minnesota is looking to build upon a successful 2014 campaign. Last year, the Gophers posted their highest win total since 2003 at 17 and recorded their highest conference win total since the same year with six. After beginning last season unranked, the Maroon and Gold climbed as high at 55th en route to a seven-win improvement from the previous season. This season, the Maroon and Gold began the year at No. 71 and is now 59th after a 10-4 start. They have won fivein a row and are 8-1 at home.
SCORING IN BIG TEN PLAY
For Big Ten play, three doubles matches will be played to begin the dual. Each match is a one-game pro set to eight, with a tiebreak at seven-all. The first team to earn two doubles wins earns one team point. Doubles play will followed by six singles matches (best two of three sets--tie-breaks at six-all). Each singles match is worth one team point. Regular-ad scoring is in effect for conference play.
Players Mentioned
