Women's Tennis | 2/4/2016 11:13:00 PM
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – The Texas State women's tennis team makes its first road trip of the season this weekend when the Bobcats travel to Alabama for three matches. The Bobcats begin their road trip on Friday afternoon in Mobile when the Bobcats play No. 73-ranked and defending Sun Belt Conference champion South Alabama beginning at 1 p.m.
Texas State will play its second match in Gulf Shores on Saturday when the Bobcats play Nicholls State at 1 p.m. The Bobcats will conclude the road trip at Auburn on Sunday morning when they face the No. 41st–ranked Tigers at 9 a.m.
The Bobcats are looking for their first victory this season after dropping a 6-1 decision against McNeese State at the Bobcat Tennis Complex on Jan. 23.
Pippa Carr had a three-set victory for Texas State's lone point in the match.
Texas State enters this weekend with a lineup consisting of one senior (
Katy Collins), two juniors (Carr and
Eva Dench) and five freshmen (
Joy Chia Ming Ming,
Ana Perez,
Yadira Rubio and
Bianca Birkenstock).
"We are trying to learn from our match against McNeese State and going into our second match with a little more experience," said Texas State head coach
Tory Plunkett. "We have worked exceptionally hard on some of the things we didn't execute very well and learn from what McNeese State did well in that match. They did good job in dictating the ball and playing each shot with consistency and accuracy throughout the match."
South Alabama enters the match with a 3-3 record this season after winning a pair of 7-0 sweeps against both Jackson State and Jacksonville State last Saturday. The Jaguars won the last meeting between the two schools after a 4-1 decision in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference tournament last year.
"It will be the first conference match for both teams so it puts a little more pressure in the match," said Plunkett. "I don't know how five of our eight players are going to compete because they are freshmen playing in their first conference match and first road match while playing three matches in three days. I want them to treat each match with the same amount of respect in all three matches."
Nicholls State enters Saturday's match with a 1-3 record this season after dropping a 4-3 decision against UL Monroe last Monday. The Colonels also dropped a 5-2 decision at Tulane on Jan. 30 after posting a 4-3 win over Louisiana Tech on Jan. 23. Nicholls State opened the season with a 6-1 setback at LSU on Jan. 16.
Auburn enters Sunday's match with a 3-1 record after defeating Samford 7-0 on Jan. 30. The Tigers opened the season with a 7-0 victory against UAB on Jan. 16 before splitting a pair of matches in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Miami on Jan. 22-23. Auburn defeated Michigan State 4-0 before dropping a 4-2 decision against the host team Miami.
