URBANA, Ill. – The Illinois women's tennis team will play No. 7 Texas Tech and Saint Louis in a Friday doubleheader. The match against Texas Tech is set for 2 p.m. CT, and the Saint Louis match has a 6 p.m. start.
"I think St. Louis is a great team," said head coach Evan Clark. "I think they've played a lot of tough teams as well this year and he plays a tough schedule, so we'll need our best stuff as well. I think it would be a big deal managing our energy playing Texas Tech, playing a double header, it's only a matter of managing your energy and I'm sure we'll be ready to come out for both matches. We'll need our best stuff for both matches. I think both teams are very, very good and we're excited to get back on the court."
The Fighting Illini defeated Florida State, 4-0, on the road last weekend, and are looking to improve on their 4-8 record. Texas Tech brings a top-10 ranking and a 12-3 record to the Atkins Tennis Center, and has wins over No. 10 Vanderbilt and No. 13 Pepperdine, but a loss to No. 5 Auburn. Saint Louis will enter the match with a 9-6 mark on the season, riding a five-match win streak.
"The mindset of the team is really good at the moment," Clark said. "They are really excited to host another top-10 team at Atkins on our courts. We have competed against a top-10 team several times this year, so it's not a new experience to us. We are excited to learn from the mistakes we have made against other top teams and take those into our matches tomorrow."
IN THE RANKINGS
In the latest ITA Rankings, Texas Tech has three ranked singles players and two ranked doubles pairs. Gabriela Talaba (No. 17), Felicity Maltby (No. 40) and Alex Valenstein (No. 109) are the top-125 singles players for the Red Raiders. In doubles, Texas Tech as the 24th-ranked pair of Sarah Dvorak and Sabrina Federici, and the 48th-ranked duo of Talaba and Maltby.
PROMOTIONS
There will be St. Patrick's Day beads and green cupcakes for fans at the 2 p.m. match against Texas Tech.
UP NEXT
Next weekend the Illini will host three matches, against Big Ten opponents Rutgers and Maryland, and then Southern Illinois. The match against Rutgers is scheduled for Saturday, March 25, at 11 a.m. CT, and Illinois will play a doubleheader on Sunday, March 26, facing Maryland at 11 a.m., then Southern Illinois at 4 p.m.
