Sunday, 02/01/2009

NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans women’s tennis team will continue their nine-match homestand as Alcorn State comes to the University Tennis Center on Wednesday at 4 p.m. followed by a visit from Northwestern State on Sunday at 2 p.m.

THE 2009 PRIVATEERS: UNO (2-3) have bounced back from losses in their first three matches to pick up victories in their last two – wins over Southern (7-0) and Sun Belt rival Louisiana-Lafayette (6-1).

Four players carry two-match winning streaks of their own into the match as Ceara Howey, Kir Kemp, Kozue Matsumoto and Amber Garza have all won two straight. Of the group, the most noticeable change has come at No. 4 singles where Kemp has flourished since dropping down from the No. 1 spot. The freshman from Atlanta, Ga. has picked up straight-set victories in her last two matches

Kemp has also found success with Howey in doubles’. The two are 3-1 and carry a three-match winning streak into the week playing No. 2 doubles after the two opened the season against  North Texas playing with other partners. Pia Dozo-Moreno and Garza have also had success at the No. 3 doubles position, winning both matches when playing at the spot. Both victories came by the slimmest of margins as the Privateer duo knocked off Tulane and ULL.

UNO (1-3, 1-2 Sun Belt, entering this weekend) vs. ALCORN STATE (0-1)
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2009 - 12 p.m.

THE 2009 BRAVES: Alcorn State went 11-10 overall and 7-1 in the SWAC last year with the lone loss in conference coming to Southern. The Braves would avenge the loss to the Jaguars, defeating them 4-3 in the conference tournament championship, advancing to the NCAA tournament where they would be overwhelmed by Georgia Tech.

This season, ASU is 0-1 after falling to Louisiana-Monroe 7-0 on Jan. 29. In the match, the Braves all went down in straight sets to the Warhawks, with Kali Sandoval at No. 4 singles putting up the biggest challenge, before falling 7-5, 6-2 to Marion Lehmann. Katherine Hopelman at No. 3 also put up a fight, falling 6-4, 6-2.

The top two returning players from last year's squad are Stefania Guzman and Katherine Hoepelman. Guzman went 7-10 a year ago while Playing No. 2 singles while Hopeleman primarily played No. 3 singles, posting a 6-7 mark.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Since 1996, the Privateer women are 2-0 against Alcorn State, which is part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). During the same period, UNO is 20-0 against the SWAC, which in addition to the results against the Braves, includes an 8-0 mark against Southern, 5-0 record against Jackson State, 4-0 against Texas Southern and  1-0 against Grambling.

LAST MEETING vs ALCORN: UNO last played ASU on Mar. 24, 2001, defeating the Braves 7-0 in the Crescent City.

UNO (2-3, 1-2 Sun Belt, entering this week’s matches) vs. NORTHWESTERN STATE (0-0, entering the week)
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 - 12 p.m.

THE 2009 DEMONS: Northwestern State will play two matches in the Crescent City this weekend, first facing Tulane on Saturday before facing UNO on Sunday. The Demons were 16-8 a year ago, which included a 9-2 mark in conference play and a 9-2 mark at home. The road and neutral site duals were not as friendly as the home variety, as the team picked up six of their eight losses when not playing in Natchitoches, La.

The Privateers and Demons are not exactly strangers to each other, as both teams played at both the ULM Warhawk Classic and the Southern Miss Invitational this past fall. At ULM, Kathrin Lange defeated Matsumoto 6-3,6-3 while Bianca Schulz picked up a win over Escobar 6-2, 6-3. The lone victory for UNO during the weekend against NSU was a win by Ceara Howey with a partner from the Warhawks, defeating Dragna Colic and Suncica Strkic 8-2.

At USM, the results were better for the Privateers as Matsumoto defeated Natalia Zomora in straight sets and Howey picked up a super-tiebreaker win over Daniela Posada. Sofija Karalic and Anita Racz both lost in straight sets to Strkic and Colic, respectively. Racz and Karalic would later get a doubles' win over the Demons, defeating the duo of Sanja Stanojcic and Ciska Wouters 8-3. Escobar and Matsumoto fell in a tiebreaker, 9-8 (2) to Florina Nosca and Zomora.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Since 1996, the UNO women are 6-0 against Northwestern State. The Privateers are

LAST MEETING vs NSU: The two teams last met on Feb. 22, 2003 with UNO defeating NSU 6-1 in New Orleans.

COMING UP NEXT: The Privateer women will play their fourth straight home match when they host Southeastern La. on Weds, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. The match will serve as the last dual for UNO until a busy stretch Mar.6-8.