Tennis Faces Missouri In Border Showdown
April 7, 2005
Lawrence, Kan. – The University of Kansas tennis team heads to Columbia, Mo., this Saturday for a Border Showdown matchup against the Missouri Tigers. The match is set to begin at 11 a.m.
KU hopes to break a three-match losing streak as the Jayhawks record stands at 4-12 on the season and 3-4 in Big 12 matches. Missouri enters the match ranked No. 47 in the country, with an 12-5 record overall and a 2-4 mark in Big 12 play. KU is currently sixth in the Big 12 standings and Missouri is tied for seventh.
KU is led at the No. 1 position by freshman Elizaveta Avdeeva. Avdeeva is 6-9 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 matches. Junior Christine Skoda is 6-10 this spring and 5-2 in Big 12 matches at the No. 2 position. Freshman Stephanie Smith is on a two-match winning streak and boasts a 4-3 record in Big 12 matches.
“The team knows the importance of this match,” KU head coach Amy Hall-Holt said. “Not only is Missouri a ranked team, but they are also a key Big 12 matchup for us. We will have to come out and play with a lot of intensity and we can’t let Missouri take us out of our game.”
KU currently leads the Border Showdown with 13.0 points to Missouri’s 9.0 points. Saturday’s match is worth 3.0 Border Showdown points.
KU Notes
– Junior Christine Skoda was named Big 12 Player of the Week for the week of March 14-20. Skoda is 5-2 in Big 12 singles matches.
– Freshman Elizaveta Avdeeva is 6-9 on the season and 4-3 in Big 12 matches playing at the No. 1 position.
– The Jayhawks are 19-23 in Big 12 singles matches.
– Last season, KU lost to Missouri 5-2 in Lawrence.
– The Jayhawks are 18-14 in three-set or tiebreaker matches.
– Freshman Stephanie Smith leads the team in singles with an 11-12 record. Smith is 4-3 in Big 12 matches and is currently on a two-match winning streak.
KU Player Notes
Elizaveta Avdeeva: Joined the team just two weeks before the spring season of play began… Is 4-8 on the season, playing against five ranked opponents… Notched her first collegiate victory over Yale’s Rashmee Patil, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 on Feb. 19… Has taken over the No. 1 singles position after going 2-0 at No. 2. Is currently 6-9 on the season and 4-3 in Big 12 matches… Currently plays No. 3 doubles with Loureiro.
Brittany Brown: Is 3-14 in singles on the season as she has stepped into the role of No. 3 singles… Earned her first victory of the season over Yale’s Christine Alford on Feb. 19… Is 3-6 in No. 1 doubles with Lauren Hommell.
Ashley Filberth: Is 4-15 in singles competition… Teamed with Skoda to go 5-4 in doubles competition… Earned the team’s only point over Mississippi with a tiebreak victory over Carlin Cochran, 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 (5).
Lauren Hommell: Is 6-19 in singles… Notched a 3-0 singles record at the Hurricane Invitational to begin the fall season… Downed SMS’s Paty Manzur in straight sets to earn her first collegiate victory on Sept. 24, 2004… Currently teams with Skoda in No. 1 doubles… Earned a match-clinching, three-set victory over Oklahoma State’s Jessica Collins, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Anna Jackson: Saw her first action of the spring season on Feb. 19 and earned her first collegiate victory over Yale’s Olivia Nix, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (5)… Is 2-2 in singles competition.
Luiza Loureiro: Is 3-7 on the the season… Is 1-1 on the spring season playing both at No. 5 and No. 6… Is 4-5 in No. 3 doubles teamed with Avdeeva… Currently plays No. 3 doubles with Avdeeva.
Christine Skoda: Owns a 7-18 record in singles on the season and 5-8 in the spring… Holds a 4-1 record in Big 12 play and a 5-8 record in the spring season of play… Is 5-4 in doubles competition teamed with Filberth… Has spent time this season playing both No. 1 and No. 2 singles… Is 5-2 in Big 12 singles matches… Named Big 12 Player of the Week for March 14-20 with her 2-0 singles record for the weekend.
Stephanie Smith: Is currently 11-12 on the season… Earned a 3-0 record to start the fall season… Picked up first collegiate victory against SMS’s Mali Gakovic… Earned a match-clinching victory over Emilie Sechaud of Illinois State on Jan. 22, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3… Defeated Oklahoma’s Chelsea Orr, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, to clinch the match for the Jayhawks… Is 4-3 in Big 12 singles matches.
