THIS WEEK: Kansas - March 17 in Manhattan at 3 p.m.

UP NEXT: vs. Oregon - March 22 in Fresno, Calif. at 10 a.m.

CATS, HAWKS BATTLE FOR SUNFLOWER SUPREMACY

Coming off back-to-back 4-3 losses, the 74th-ranked Kansas State women’s tennis team wraps up a brief two-match home stand Wednesday at 3 p.m., when the Wildcats host cross-state rival Kansas. K-State (3-5, 0-3 Big 12) will be out to put the brakes on a three-match losing streak with its first conference win of the season. Kansas (2-8, 1-1 Big 12) picked up its second win of the year with a 4-3 victory over Oklahoma State in its Big 12 opener before falling to Texas Tech 6-1 in its most recent outing on Saturday.

SUNFLOWER SERIES STUFF

Kansas may own a commanding 46-5 lead in the all-time series with Kansas State, but the Wildcats have been the state’s top team in recent years, winning three of the last four encounters. Two of the wins have come in Lawrence with the Wildcats picking up their first win ever at KU in 2001. K-State made it two in a row on the Jayhawks’ home court last year, defeating Kansas 5-2 as the Wildcats won the doubles point and Petra Sedlmajerova and Andrea Cooper picked up key singles wins to stake K-State to an early 3-1 lead. Kansas captured the last match between the two teams in Manhattan, defeating the Wildcats 4-3 in 2002.

LAST TIME OUT

Defending Big 12 Conference champion Oklahoma State escaped with a close 4-3 comeback win over Kansas State last Saturday at Ahearn Field House. OSU (4-5, 1-2), ranked No. 69 in the last week’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings, claimed four of the six singles matches to capture its first conference victory of the season. K-State captured the double point behind wins at No. 1 and 2 spots, however only junior Maria Rosenberg and sophomore Jessica Simosa were able to bring home wins at No. 1 and 2 singles as the Wildcats came up just short for the second straight match.

ROSENBERG, SIMOSA REMAIN TOUGH AT THE TOP

Kansas State’s lineup continues to be tough at the top. Led by junior Maria Rosenberg and sophomore Jessica Simosa, the Wildcats are a combined 12-4 at the No. 1 and 2 spots so far in dual match play. Rosenberg (16-8 overall, 6-2 dual match) enters the Kansas match riding a two match wining streak, while Simosa (13-6 overall, 6-2 dual match) has won three of her last four. In doubles, the tandem of Rosenberg and Paulina Castilejos are a sparkling 7-1 in dual match play with four straight wins at the top doubles spot.

UP NEXT: GO WEST!

The Wildcats will travel out west to compete against some of the nation’s top teams during the university’s spring break holiday next week. K-State travels to California to take on No. 23 Oregon and No. 14 Fresno State on March 22 and 23 in Fresno. The Cats will then road trip to the coast for a non-conference match at UC Santa Barbara on March 25 in Santa Barbara.

2003-04 INDIVIDUAL SPRING RESULTS

Singles           No. 1     No. 2     No. 3     No. 4      No. 5       No. 6   Overall

Maria Rosenberg    6-2                                                         16-8

Jessica Simosa               6-2                                               13-6

Paulina Castillejos                    5-3                                     13-10

Hayley McIver                                    4-4                           9-14

Judith Diaz                                                 1-6         1-0    4-17

Aveen Alkhatib                                              0-1         1-6    2-14

Doubles                                         No. 1      No. 2       No. 3   Overall

Rosenberg/Castillejos                            7-1                           11-3

Diaz/Simosa                                                 4-4                5-7

McIver/Alkhatib                                                         1-7    3-7