Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 25 Texas Tech Heads To Alabama
February 19, 2015 | Women's Tennis
Texas Tech's Sabrina Federici (left) and Lynn Kiro will lead Texas Tech at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic in Montgomery, Ala.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Texas Tech women's head coach Todd Petty definitely has upgraded his schedule for 2015, as the Lady Raiders could potentially face 11 ranked teams in 13 matches to start the season.
With a lineup that includes five underclassmen in the starting rotation, No. 25 Texas Tech will face No. 61 Yale at 2 p.m. at the Lagoon Park Tennis Center on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic.
The match will mark the seventh ranked opponent in the first eight matches for Texas Tech. In all, the field includes No. 8 Alabama, No. 22 Ohio State, No. 49 DePaul, No. 60 Princeton, Boise State and Tulane.
Last year, the Lady Raiders ousted Yale in the semifinals of the event, 4-1, before falling to eventual champion Alabama in the semifinals, 4-2.
If the Lady Raiders have any kind of success in the first round against Yale, they could potentially face No. 22 Ohio State in the semifinals. It would mark the fifth match against a Top 30 team, with the Lady Raiders currently going 2-2 against the upper echelon of women's college tennis.
If the Lady Raiders were to pick up a pair of wins, it could potentially set up a rematch with Alabama.
When you factor in that seven of the 10 Big 12 Conference teams are ranked, Texas Tech would potentially play a school-record 18 ranked opponents during the regular season.
But before the Lady Raiders can look ahead to league play, they must start with Yale on Friday. Texas Tech looks to become the first Big 12 school to win the prestigious Blue Gray National Tennis Classic on the women's side. On the men's side, Texas Tech (2010), TCU (1996) and Texas (1994 & 1995) have own the event.
Lady Raider captain Kenna Kilgo (4-6) will lead the charge for Texas Tech, as the senior holds down the top spot. Freshman Sarah Dvorak (17-6) and sophomore Lynn Kiro (12-7) follow at No. 2 and No. 3. Dvorak is ranked 56th nationally, while Kiro is 65th.
Midseason enrollee Gabriela Talaba (4-2) has anchored herself at No. 4, while Sabrina Federici (15-2) holds down the No. 5 spot. Federici has won 10 straight matches.
The sixth spot in the rotation has rotated between sophomore Samantha Czarniak Rego (12-4) and freshman Katelyn Jackson (14-7).
Petty has tried several combinations in doubles this season, but seems to have settled with the rotation of Kilgo and Talaba at No. 1, Kiro and Federici at No. 2 and Jackson and Dvorak at No. 3.
The Lady Raiders will face either Ohio State or Tulane on Saturday in the three-day event.
Players Mentioned
