HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's tennis team returns home for a pair of matches this week. The Norse welcome Wisconsin-Green Bay on Thursday for a nonconference match before Saturday's Atlantic Sun Conference opener against North Florida.
Due to weather concerns, Thursday's match will be played at Five Seasons Sports Club in Crestview Hills. First serve is set for 3:30 p.m. The North Florida match was originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, but scheduling complications forced the match to be pushed back to Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Joyce Yeager Tennis Complex.
NKU enters the weekend with a 4-6 record and winners of three of their last four matches after a pair of decisive victories last weekend, defeating Hartford, 7-0, and St. Francis (N.Y.), 5-0.
Hailey Shanahan led the way for the Norse with a pair of top-flight singles wins along the way.
Danielle Donahue,
Rheanna Morehart and
Sydney Power each notched their team-leading fifth singles wins of the season as well.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Hailey Shanahan's effort last weekend earned her Player of the Week honors from the Atlantic Sun. Shanahan won both top-flight singles matches on the weekend as well as a pair of doubles matches to move to 4-7 in singles and 6-6 in doubles play. Shanahan is the second Norse player to be named the conference player of the week after
Danielle Donahue earned the honor back on Feb. 18.
A WORD ABOUT WISCONSIN-GREEN BAY: The Phoenix are still seeking their first win of the season, standing at 0-8 entering Thursday's match after a 7-0 loss to Milwaukee. Maria Neff is 2-5 on the year in singles play while Stephanie Londre is looking to break through in the top flight, currently 0-6 on the year.
A WORD ABOUT NORTH FLORIDA: The defending A-Sun regular-season champions saw an eight-match winning streak snapped last weekend after a 4-2 loss to South Alabama and now stand at 8-3 on the year. Taylor Hollander plays the top singles flight for the Ospreys and has compiled a 9-14 record against competition that includes three nationally-ranked opponents. Quetzali Vazques boasts a 19-9 singles record from the No. 4 and No. 5 flight to lead the team in wins, while Michelle Valdez is a perfect 10-0 since dual play began in the spring. In doubles play, Vazquez and Esther Zuniga have combined for a 14-7 record, including a 7-2 mark in spring play.
UP NEXT: Following the home matches this weekend, NKU takes a tour of the Sunshine State beginning Wednesday at Bethune-Cookman. The week continues on Thursday with a conference match at Stetson before Saturday's A-Sun tilt at Florida Gulf Coast.
