Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 46 Lady Raiders Host UTEP To Open Season
January 23, 2012 | Women's Tennis
Fresmhan Kenna Kilgo is 11-5 in singles play heading into the dual match season.
Jan. 23, 2012
LUBBOCK, Texas - When the No. 46 Texas Tech Lady Raider tennis team takes the court today to open the season, it will mark the beginning of a season of high expectations.
"Each year at the beginning of the year each team establishes its own identity. It does not matter if they are all returning or if they are all brand new. The identity changes every year, so you have to be hungry every year," said fourth year head coach Todd Petty. "I think we have got good leadership. We have a lot of ability all of the way through. This is one of the deepest teams we have had, but still the work has got to be done at practice."
The Lady Raiders will face UTEP to kickoff the 2011-12 season at noon at the McLeod Tennis Center.
Texas Tech returns five lettwinners from last season's squad that went 18-8 overall and 7-4 in Big 12 Conference play. The Lady Raiders also enter the spring season with its highest ranking ever at No. 46, showing there is an expectation in the program outside of Lubbock.
"There is no easy out one through six," said Petty of the Lady Raiders. "I think every year I have coached we have given away a position every once in a while, but kind of our identity this year is not to give away a position one through six.
"I think our talent is growing, but also our toughness and our willingness to not give away matches week by week is getting better as well. That is really kind of the ground work for the program."
Elizabeth Ullathorne and Samantha Adams solidified the top two spots last season for the Lady Raiders, but add in highly touted freshman Kenna Kilgo and team captain Caroline Starck and the lineup begins to take shape.
"Our lineup is a work in progress right now," added Petty. "It is a week by week deal. It is going to depend on matchups and things like that. We are lucky that from one to seen we can pretty much interchange evenly. So, we look more for matchups or for who is playing better that week.
Sandra Dynka, Nikki Sanders and Rashmi Teltumbde are also vying for playing time for the Lady Raiders this season.
One strength going in the spring season for the Lady Raiders has been the doubles play of Adams and Kilgo. The duo has landed in the national rankings at No. 45.
In singles action, Kilgo is 11-5 heading into the dual match season to lead Texas Tech, followed by Starck (9-5), Dynka (9-5), Sanders (6-3), Adams (7-5), Ullathorne (2-3) and Teltumbde (1-1).
Players Mentioned
