Texas Tech University Athletics
Women's Tennis Host Three Matches This Weekend
February 01, 2007 | Women's Tennis
Feb. 1, 2007
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LUBBOCK, Texas -The Lady Raiders are set to play three home matches over the weekend. On Fri., Feb. 2, they face Prairie View A&M and University of Texas-El Paso at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively. Sunday the team will take on No. 45 University of New Mexico, the 19th meeting between the two programs. Due to expected poor weather conditions, all matches will be played at the Lubbock Country Club.
The women's tennis team kicked off the 2007 season last weekend as they hosted Oregon and No. 44 Alabama. They went 1-1 losing 4-3 to Oregon and winning 5-2 over the Crimson Tide. The No. 54 ranked Lady Raiders will have their work cut out for them as they head into a tough weekend of tennis action.
Playing in the No. 1 singles spot for the squad is sophomore Samantha van der Drift. The DeZilk, Holland native enters her second season as a Lady Raider with a 2-0 singles record, 1-1 in doubles. Last season she played in both the No. 4 and 5 spots, compiling and overall record of 16-18.
Head Coach Cari Groce feels van der Drift is the right choice to lead the team as their No. 1 singles player. "I am confident that Sam will be a solid player for us this year in singles and doubles," Groce said. "She is quick on the court and plays to win."
Leading this year's team and playing in the No. 2 position is senior captain Lakann Wagley, who in last weekend's season opener helped secure both singles and doubles victories over Alabama to lead her team to victory. Filling the No. 3 and 6 spots are junior Janet Durham, who is 2-0 on the season, and sophomore Anne Sophie Fankam.
Rounding out the line-up in the No. 4 and 6 spots are freshman Kerryn Potgieter and Maria Jose Andres. Potgieter arrived to Tech in the fall from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and compiled a fall record of 8-9 in singles, 10-7 in doubles. Andres hails from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and last weekend made her collegiate debut playing in the final point deciding match against Oregon.
This weekend's competitors are no strangers to the Lady Raiders as they lead the series 1-0 over both the Lady Panthers and Lady Miners. Tech, however, suffered a loss last season to UNM, 6-1, in Albuquerque, N.M., tying the series record between the two schools at 9-9.
Live stats will be available for all three Tech matches this weekend via the team's Web site. For more information and complete results, visit www.texastech.com.
-TTU-
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