Tennis takes no opponent lightly
- Feb. 16, 2012
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After a week off from competition, the women’s tennis team looks to stay undefeated heading into its last home matches for three weeks.
The Jayhawks are 3-0 for the first time in three seasons, a record that could improve after dual matches against Bradley and Arkansas-Little Rock (UALR) this weekend. Bradley, of the Missouri Valley Conference, will visit Lawrence Saturday, while Arkansas-Little Rock, of the Sun Belt Conference, will be in town Sunday.
“We don’t take anybody lightly,” coach Amy Hall-Holt said. “We go out with a mentality that everybody is top-level and very competitive. We still have to have our A-minds out there to compete and win the match.”
Both visiting teams began the season 0-4, but have seen more success in recent weeks. Bradley, which has won two of its last three matches, currently sits at 2-6 for the season. UALR, on the other hand, has been on a roll in the last two weeks. The team has won five of its past six to improve to .500 in dual-match play.
“We’ve played almost every year, and each year they get better, so we’ve definitely got to come out and compete hard at a high level from Saturday’s match to Sunday’s match,” Hall-Holt said of UALR. “We have definitely got to stick with the competitive edge and get out there and battle every point.”
Junior Monica Pezzotti, who has been playing No. 1 singles in the absence of senior Ekaterina Morozova, has an opportunity to build some confidence this weekend against struggling competition. Pezzotti is 1-2 in her new role this season.
Bradley sophomore Sarah Rodefeld and UALR sophomore Viktoriya Plyuta are each 2-5 as their respective team’s top player.
“In the last two matches I’ve been playing so well,” Pezzotti said. “My confidence and mentality on the court is better, and I’m so positive. I hope I will be good this weekend.”
The rest of the Jayhawks have seen considerable success so far this season, especially in doubles play. Sophomore Dylan Windom and freshman Maria Belen Ludueña have paired as one of the team’s two undefeated doubles duos this season.
“I’m feeling great with doubles,” Windom said. “I love our doubles lineup right now. I think we’re really strong, but we have a lot of room to improve.”
Sophomore Claire Dreyer and junior Victoria Khanevskaya remain 3-0 at the No. 3 doubles spot, while Dreyer and Ludueña have been perfect this season at No. 4 and 5 singles.
Both of this weekend’s matches will begin at 11 a.m. at the Jayhawk Tennis Center on West 23rd Street. Admission is free and open to the public.
Edited by Max Rothman
