April 10, 2002

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Kansas State tennis team begins a three-match road trip that will close out its regular season with a pair of matches at Texas A&M and Texas this weekend. The No. 46 nationally-ranked Wildcats begin the weekend at No. 27 Texas A&M on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Texas A&M Tennis Center in College Station, Texas. The 'Cats then travel to Austin, Texas, for a noon match on Sunday against No. 10 Texas at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center.

K-State is 10-6 overall, 5-3 in the Big 12 and in fifth place in the conference standings. Texas A&M has an 18-3 overall record, 6-1 mark in the league and is third in the Big 12 standings. Texas sports a 14-4 overall mark and is tied with Kansas for the top spot in the league with 8-0 records. The Aggies play at Baylor on Thursday prior to their match with K-State.

This weekend's opponents are the highest and third-highest ranked foes for the Wildcats this season. Kansas State lost 4-3 to Oklahoma State on Mar. 10 when the Cowgirls were No. 24 and the 'Cats were beaten 6-1 by No. 27 Baylor on Mar. 29. Kansas State enters this weekend having won its last two matches and both by shutouts. Texas A&M has won 10 of its last 11 matches and three of its four Big 12 contests. Texas had its six-match winning streak snapped on Tuesday when No. 6 Vanderbilt shutout the Longhorns.

In both series, the Wildcats are winless. They are 0-4 vs. the Aggies and 0-5 against the Longhorns. K-State has lost both road matches played in College Station and Austin. Last year, the 'Cats came close to beating both teams, but lost the pair of contests in Manhattan, 4-3.

Senior Kathy Chuda puts her six-match winning streak on the line this weekend. She sports the best dual record on the team, owning an 11-3 record at No. 2 singles. She is also one of three Wildcats to have a 6-2 record in the Big 12.

Freshman Maria Rosenberg has the team's best overall singles record this year with a 17-6 mark at No. 4 singles. She is 10-5 in dual matches this year and 6-2 in league contests.

Senior Alena Jecminkova chalked up three victories last week at No. 1 singles and has a record of 10-6 in dual matches, 6-2 in the league and 14-11 overall.

Texas A&M is led by junior Ashley Hedberg who is 24-3 overall, has a 19-1 dual record and is undefeated at 7-0 at No. 5 singles. Senior Martina Nedorostova is splitting time at No. 3 and No. 4 singles and she sports a 15-5 overall mark and 6-1 Big 12 record. In doubles, both the Aggies No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams have won 15 matches this spring.

The Longhorns are led by senior Vladka Uhlirova who is 11-8 in dual matches, 6-2 in the league and 22-11 overall at No. 1 singles. Senior Rebekah Forney (8-0), juniors Lindsey Blau (7-0) and Ziva Grasic (3-0), sophomore Michelle Krinke (6-0) and freshman Katherine Ruckert (4-0) all sport undefeated Big 12 records.