AUBURN, Ala. – Following Friday's sweep win over Alabama A&M, Gamecock women's tennis returns to play this weekend for one of their toughest tests of the Spring. Jacksonville State will head south for a neutral-site match with Texas Tech on the Plains. First serve is set for 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
Jax State (3-2) won both of its contests against in-state foes this week. They started an action-packed week with a 4-1 win at UAB on Tuesday. Though the Red-and-White dropped the doubles point, they rebounded in a big way with four consecutive singles triumphs to score their first win over UAB in 32 seasons. Then, on Friday,
Michael Helms' squad rolled by visiting Alabama A&M, 7-0, in the team's lone home match of the year.
Zuzana Pavelekova (3-0) remained undefeated on the year with a singles result against AAMU on Friday.
Irene Artigas leads the team in doubles wins with four, though
Dariana Prato,
Polina Ramenskaja, and
Serafima Shastova are just behind her with three victories each.
The Gamecocks will look to continue a successful week as they take on Big 12 power Texas Tech (1-2) on Sunday.
TTU is coming off a 14-win season in which they went sub-.500 in league action and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Their roster contains several important contributors from their 2023 squad, and overall they boast an experienced, talented group.
The Red Raiders have faced a loaded schedule to start the Spring 2024 campaign. After cruising by Liberty, 6-1, on Jan. 21, Texas Tech lost to a pair of ranked squads at the ITA Kickoff Weekend last time out. They suffered a 4-1 setback to No. 11 Virginia last Friday, then fell 4-2 to No. 24 Wisconsin the following day.
Fans unable to attend Sunday's match in Auburn can follow along with the live stats link provided at JaxStateSports.com. The Gamecocks' next opportunity to hit the courts will come on Sat., Feb. 10, as they travel to Florence, Ala., for an afternoon tilt at North Alabama.
To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, follow their Facebook (Jax State Women's Tennis), Instagram (@JaxStateWTEN), and X (@JaxStateWTEN) accounts.
