Jayhawks Travel to Houston for Final Fall Invitational
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s tennis team travels to the Houston for the final tournament of its fall slate at the Houston Invitational Friday, Nov. 1-3.
As the squad gears up for its final invitation of the fall, first-year head coach Todd Chapman continues to look for overall improvement in his team in preparation for a rigorous spring schedule.
“We are looking to continue the process of improving,” said Chapman. “We improved in many aspects from our first tournament to the second in many areas. We hope to continue moving in a positive direction.”
The Jayhawks’ trip to Houston follows up an impressive run at the ITA Central Regionals in Norman, Okla. This weekend the team will have the opportunity to tackle squads from Big 12 rivals Baylor, Iowa State and Texas Tech along with teams from Arizona, Arkansas, Maryland, Northwestern State, Oregon, Rice, Steven F. Austin and Texas A&M.
Kansas will send a lineup of seniors Claire Dreyer, Dylan Windom and Paulina Los, junior Maria Belen Ludueña and sophomores Anastasija Trubica and Maria Jose Cardona.
To begin the fall slate, the Jayhawks traveled to Midland, Texas where the squad struggled to find their stride. After a more than a month’s break, an improved KU team emerged at the ITA Central Regionals where on day three of the championship the Jayhawks went undefeated, 7-0.
Cardona and Ludueña lead the Jayhawks in fall play. Cardona boasts a 4-3 record in the fall, and made a run for the singles title at the ITA Regionals, only falling in the round of 16 to No. 12 nationally ranked Petra Niedermayerova of Kansas State. Ludueña has a 5-3 record in the fall slate, also making it to the round of 16 during the ITA Regionals, but lost in the third set to Tereza Brichacova of Minnesota. The duo together also boasts a record of 2-1 in doubles, reaching the round of 16 at the ITA Regionals.
The invite marks the end of the fall season for Kansas, with a three-month break until spring play begins at the Purdue Invitational, Jan. 17-19.
“I feel like we are in a much better place right now than we were on Aug. 26 when school started,” Chapman said. “Physically, we are still a work in progress when it comes to how to approaching match situations, our confidence and competing every point with a winning mentality. With that being said, I couldn’t be more pleased with the teams effort and willingness to buy into new philosophies.”
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