HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's tennis team returns home for a weekend of Atlantic Sun Conference matches at the Joyce Yeager Tennis Complex. The Norse will host Kennesaw State on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend on Saturday with a 10 a.m. match against South Carolina Upstate.
The Norse enter the weekend with a 5-10 record, including an 0-3 mark in A-Sun play, looking to snap a four-match losing streak after dropping matches to Bethune-Cookman, Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast on the road last weekend.
Danielle Donahue,
Rheanna Morehart and
Sydney Power each will seek their team-leading seventh singles victory as the Norse look to qualify for the A-Sun Championships in their first opportunity.
A WORD ABOUT KENNESAW STATE: The Owls are 1-11 on the season and 0-3 in A-Sun play, with their only win on the season coming in a 6-1 victory over Austin Peay. Individually, Virginie Stein leads the way at 12-11 in singles play, including a 5-6 mark at the top-flight position in dual matches. Alexandra Mercado adds an 8-15 mark as well. In doubles action, Stein and Jana Hueckinghaus stand at 5-3 against top opposition as well.
A WORD ABOUT USC UPSTATE: The Spartans are 2-14 on the season, including an 0-3 mark in conference action, with wins over Slippery Rock and Baldwin Wallace over Spring Break in March. Isabel Von Stryk leads the Spartans in singles action with a 12-4 record against top-flight competition. Nona Ruppert adds seven wins of her own at the No. 2 spot. In doubles play, Von Stryk and Ruppert have combined for a 7-4 mark, again in the top flight.
LOG JAM: The Norse will look to break up a significant log jam in the A-Sun standings in their favor this weekend. Three teams – Stetson, North Florida and FGCU – stand at 4-0 on the year and have qualified for the A-Sun Championship, with the remaining four teams all standing at 0-3, fighting for the remaining three playoff spots with three league matches remaining. The A-Sun Championship will take place April 17-19 at the UNF Tennis Complex in Jacksonville, Florida.
UP NEXT: The Norse make the rounds about the tristate in midweek action next week, traveling to take on Cincinnati on Tuesday afternoon before hosting Xavier the following day at the Joyce Yeager Tennis Complex to close out the home half of the schedule. Wednesday's home match is slated for a 1 p.m. start.
