No. 20 Jayhawks host two matches at home
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas tennis team returns home to host two opponents in No. 21-ranked Wichita State Friday at 5 p.m., and Gonzaga Sunday at 12 p.m., at the Jayhawk Tennis Center at Rock Chalk Park.
No. 20-ranked KU (5-3) has won five of its last six matches, including a perfect 3-0 at home.
Junior Anastasia Rychagova is currently the No. 1-ranked player in the nation and holds a 15-2 overall singles record, including a perfect 5-0 in dual matches. Rychagova is also ranked in doubles with partner Nina Khmelnitckaia. The No. 29 duo sits at 3-2 in duals and 10-4 overall.
At No. 77 in the singles rankings for Kansas is senior Despoina Vogasari who has a 15-9 overall mark with dual play accounting for a record of 4-4. She and sophomore Maria Toran Ribes teamed up this spring in the middle of February and are undefeated in doubles with a 4-0 record.
“We’ve always had tough matches with Wichita State,” said head coach Todd Chapman. “Over the last 10 to 15 years they’ve been a really solid program. We know we’ll have a tough battle Friday with them.”
So far this season the Shockers are 10-3, including 3-2 in away matches. They enter the weekend riding a two-match win streak after defeating No. 49 Missouri, 4-3, and Colorado, 7-0. Wichita State’s roster is home to two ranked singles players in No. 71 Fatima Bizhukova and No. 106 Sandra Honigova. Kansas leads the overall series with WSU, 16-7.
“I think the mindset this weekend is the same as it usually is with all of our matches,” said Chapman. “That’s knowing we’ve got to have confidence in how we prepare and be ready for a tough match. Not only Wichita State, but also Gonzaga, will test us and push us and give us the opportunity to see where we’re at and what we need to get better at.”
Sunday’s meeting marks the first time Gonzaga and KU have met in program history. The Bulldogs hold an 8-2 record with both losses coming in true away matches against then ranked No. 10 Michigan (4-1) and Arizona State (4-0). Sophie Whittle and Graciela Rosas are the only ranked players for Gonzaga, coming in as the No. 42 doubles team. The pair is 10-1 overall and undefeated in dual-match play with a 5-0 mark at the No. 1 position.
Admission for both matches is free for fans and pizza will be served between doubles and singles.
KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.
