Match Preview: Women's Tennis vs. Missouri, ACU
2/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 1, 2001
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#18 Baylor (1-0) vs. Missouri (3-0), ACU
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2001 * Waco, Texas * 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
The Baylor women's tennis team opens the 2001 Big 12 Conference season Saturday, hosting Missouri in the first of two matches on the day. The Bears and Tigers square off at 10 a.m. at the Streich Tennis Court. At 2 p.m., Baylor will play Abilene Christian in the second match of the day.
Last season, Baylor swept Missouri 9-0 in Columbia to open conference play. The win was Baylor's fifth in a row en route to opening the season 12-0. Since entering the Big 12, the Bears are a perfect 4-0 against the Tigers. Missouri began the week with a perfect 3-0 before beginning a swing through Texas that includes matches against Southwest Texas State and UT-Pan Am on Friday, Saturday's match vs. Baylor, and a fourth match Sunday at Texas Tech.
In the second match of the day, the Bears host the Wildcats at Streich. Last season, Baylor beat ACU 8-1 in Waco. In that match, the first of a doubleheader, the Bears lost at No. 3 doubles to narrowly miss the sweep. That was the only match Baylor lost on the day.
The Bears may be without top players Jahnavi Parekh and Katja Kovac, who are competing in the Rolex National Indoors in Dallas this weekend.
Team notes:
- The team's current No. 18 ranking ties the team's highest ever, the team has been at No. 18 since Dec. 2000, and also ranked No. 18 during three different weeks in March and April of 2000.
- The Bears were selected to participate in the National Team Indoors, an elite tournament featuring 16 of the top teams in the country.
- Baylor has won five straight season openers, dating back to 1996.
Individual notes:
Head Coach Dave Luedtke: 174-121 in his 14th season, all at Baylor.
Karin Andersson: Ranks fifth in school history in career singles wins (77), two wins behind fourth-place Sophie Goldschmidt, and sixth in career doubles wins (57), two wins behind fifth-place Leigh Ann Forney.
Frida Borjesson: Won a season-high four straight singles matches (10/28-11/4)... Will play No. 5 singles and No. 2 doubles in the spring.
Monica Gonzalez: Will team with Jahnavi Parekh at No. 3 doubles in the spring... That pair won the Big 12 No. 3 doubles title last season.
Katja Kovac: Has won a career-high 10 straight matches (10/28-present), tied for seventh-best in school history... Ranks third in school history in career singles wins (80), three wins behind second-place Melissa Castro and 12 wins behind all-time leader Rachel Forney... Came in No. 35 in the December ITA singles rankings... Her tournament title at the ITA Southwest Regional earned her a selection to the Rolex National Indoors in February.
Vida Mulec: Entered the ITA singles rankings in December at a career-high No. 41... Had an excellent fall and will play No. 3 singles in the spring... Will team with Katja Kovac at No. 1 doubles.
Jahnavi Parekh: Began the spring ranked No. 18 in the nation in singles... Will look to duplicate her 2000 all-America status while playing No. 1 singles and No. 3 doubles... Holds seventh place in school history for career wins (71), four wins behind sixth-place Hortensia Hernandez... Was selected to play in the Rolex National Indoors in February.
Paola Stephen: Will play No. 5 or 6 singles to start the season.
