Feb. 20, 2002

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Kansas State tennis team will try to build on its victory over instate rival Wichita State when it hosts No. 70 Southwest Missouri State and travels to No. 75 Colorado for its Big 12 Conference opener.

The Wildcats will face the Lady Bears on Friday at 9 a.m. at Cottonwood Racquet Club and then travel to Boulder for a 2 p.m. match on Sunday at the Millennium Hotel Indoor Courts.

The No. 49 nationally-ranked Wildcats are 3-2 on the season, while SW Missouri State will enter the match 1-4 and on a four-match losing streak. Colorado is off to a 5-4 overall start after splitting this past weekends matches and have a 1-1 record within the Big 12.

Kansas State leads the series with SW Missouri State, 8-3, and have won the last seven matches, including a 6-1 match last season in Manhattan. K-State will also be trying to improve its 4-0 home record versus the Lady Bears.

Colorado leads series with K-State, 16-7 and the Wildcats have won two of the last three meetings, including a 5-4 match in Boulder on March 25, 2000. Last season the 'Cats beat the Buffaloes 6-1 in Manhattan on March 31.

Junior Petra Sedlmajerova sports a 4-1 spring singles record at No. 2 and No. 3 and is on a four-match winning streak. Freshman Andrea Cooper is also on a mini-winning streak after posting her third consecutive victory this past weekend. She stands at 3-2 this spring at No. 5 and No. 6 singles.

In doubles, the No. 2 doubles team of senior Kathy Chuda and Sedlmajerova are 4-1, while senior Alena Jecminkova and Cooper stand at 3-2 at No. 1.

The Lady Bears are led by junior Ia Zozrashvili, who boasts a 2-3 record at No. 1 and is ranked No. 10 in the Central Region this fall. She also teams with Cassandra Godfrey as SW Missouri's No. 1 doubles team that is 2-3 this spring.

Colorado is led by a pair of juniors who can play either the No. 1 or No. 2 singles spots for the Buffs. Dominique Lemperle stands at 3-2 at No. 1 and 1-2 at No. 2 and is ranked No. 21 in the Central Region. Classmate Lia Dimingo is 2-2 at No. 1 and 2-4 at No. 2. Freshman Katherine Lutget is also 4-1 at No. 3 singles.