Baylor University Team Page
WACO, Texas - Baylor's 15th-ranked women's tennis team will host three other top-40 teams as part of the 2013 ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Saturday and Sunday at the Hurd Tennis Center.
"It is great that we get to host this event and play at home," head coach Joey Scrivano said. "However, a lot of it depends on getting a big crowd. I am really hoping that Baylor Nation will come out and support us."
Baylor, the event's top-seed will open the weekend against No. 36 Florida State on Saturday at 11 a.m. The other two schools, No. 21 Texas Tech and No. 29 Rice, will face off at 2 p.m. on the same day. The winners of those two matches will then play on Sunday at 11 a.m. for a spot in the ITA National Indoor Team Championship, Feb. 8-11, in Charlottesville, Va.
Baylor is one of 15 schools nationwide that is hosting this weekend. The Lady Bears have served as a host institution for the past four years and have advanced out of the qualifying rounds each time.
BU enters the weekend with a 1-0 record, after a 7-0 win against Sam Houston State on Thursday. BU won two of three doubles matches and all six singles contests in straight sets to blank the Bearkats.
Sophomore Ema Burgic has been the top player for the Lady Bears this season. She boasts an 18-3 overall record and is ranked No. 16 in the country. In the match against SHSU, Burgic swept her singles match at the No. 1 position, 6-0, 6-0.
Baylor's first-round opponent, Florida State, has started off 2-0 on the season with wins over Troy and Florida A&M. The Seminoles boast four singles players ranked within the top-100.
"Florida State has a great team," Scrivano said. "There roster looks more like a top-10 team than a 30-something ranked team. They are going to be really tough and we are definitely the underdog in that match. It is going to take a very focused, disciplined effort from us, but I think if we can do that we will have a good chance."
Baylor is 3-5 all-time vs. the Seminoles, while Scrivano is 2-1 vs. FSU in his time at BU.
Texas Tech and Rice both enter the event with 1-0 records.
Along with Saturday's winners facing off on Sunday, the losing team of each of Saturday's matches will also play each other on Sunday at 11 a.m.
All information, links and box scores can be found at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend Central page on www.BaylorBears.com. Follow @BaylorWTennis for updates on the team all season.
