Feb. 21, 2003

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Kansas State tennis team will face its toughest opponent of the young dual season when it travels south to Oxford, Miss., to play No. 40 Mississippi at noon at the Gillom Sports Center.

The 58th-ranked Wildcats sport a 4-0 dual record this season and are off to their best start since 1989 when the 'Cats began their spring season 9-0. The Rebels are 2-5 on the year, but all five of their losses have been to teams ranked in the Omni Hotels National Top 40. Ole Miss is currently on a three-match losing streak, dropping a 4-2 match to then-No. 17 Fresno State on Feb. 15.

A relative young series, Kansas State trails Mississippi 2-0. The teams first met in 1999 and the Wildcats were shutout by Ole Miss, 9-0, at the Arizona State Tournament in Tempe, Ariz. In the last meeting on Feb. 2, 2002, K-State lost to the Rebels 5-2 in Oxford. Senior Petra Sedlmajerova and sophomore Andrea Cooper picked up the two wins in the match for the Wildcats. Sedlmajerova beat Karem Harboe at No. 3 singles and Cooper defeated Audra Adams at No. 6 singles.

Three Wildcats, Sedlmajerova, sophomore Maria Rosenberg and freshman Jessica Simosa, sport 4-0 records at the top three singles positions. Additionally, preseason all-conference selection Sedlmajerova has won her last six singles matches.

In doubles, the team of Sedlmajerova and junior Paulina Castillejos are 4-0, while the team of Cooper and Simosa are 3-1.

Senior Mara Radu, who is No. 8 in the ITA singles rankings, is 10-7 this season and 2-5 in dual matches at No. 1 singles. Junior Sabrina Peppl is 11-7 this year and sports a 4-3 dual record at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, and freshman Virginia Tomatis is ranked No. 118 and has 9-6 overall and 4-3 records at No. 4 singles.

In doubles, Radu and Tomatis are 8-7 overall and 4-2 in dual matches at No. 1. Adams and Peppl sport 7-7 and 4-0 records at No. 2.

Mississippi finished the 2001-02 season in the NCAA Tournament and with a No. 35 ranking and 12-11 record.