Friday, February 25
Houston, Texas
11 AM
Rice University
vs
UTSA
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Owls Host UTSA and Travel to Texas A&M This Weekend
2/24/2022 5:08:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Owls move into rankings at #57
In Brief: The Rice women's tennis team, currently ranked 57th in the ITA computer rankings, will host UTSA in Houston and then head to College Station to take on Texas A&M in a weekend schedule that has been altered by the latest blast of arctic air. Friday's home match with UTSA is moving indoors to the Boniuk Family Tennis Center and will now start at 1 p.m. The match with the Aggies was pushed back from Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday due to weather concerns.
The Owls: Rice improved to 5-1 on the season with wins over Texas State and LSU last weekend. The win over LSU snapped a five-match losing streak for the Owls against the Tigers. Freshman Allison Zipoli delivered the clinch point vs. LSU (her second clinch point of the season) and earned C-USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week honors for her efforts.
UTSA: The Roadrunners are 1-7 this season and have lost their last four after defeating Sam Houston on January 30. This will be the 22nd meeting between the schools since 1982 with Rice having won each match in the series. The Owls took a 7-0 decision last year at GRBTC.
Texas A&M: The Aggies (13-1) are currently ranked seventh in the ITA computer rankings and eighth in the Tennis Channel/USTA coaches poll. The have won four straight since falling in the first round of the ITA National Indoor Championship to #4 Cal, 4-3. This will be the first regular season meeting between teams since Valentine's Day in 2018 when Rice downed the Aggies 4-3 at GRBTC. The last two meetings have come in the opening round of the NCAA Championship, with A&M winning both 4-3. Since 1982, the Aggies lead the series 24-10. Elizabeth Schmidt is 2-4 in her career vs. A&M.
Ranked Players:
A&M singles: Carson Branstine 27; Tatiana Makarova 41, Mary Stoiana 91
A&M doubles: Jayci Goldsmith & Makarova 3
Noteable:
George R. Brown Tennis Center: Rice has posted a 64-14 regular-season record at GRBTC (11-0 in C-USA play) since making their debut at their new home by defeating Lamar 7-0 on 1/17/15. The Owls have also posted a 6-0 postseason mark while winning a pair of Conference USA titles at home (2015 & 2019).
Up Next: Rice will host Baylor on Wednesday, March 2 at GRBTC and then travel to Huntsville to meet Sam Houston next Sunday (March 6).
The Owls: Rice improved to 5-1 on the season with wins over Texas State and LSU last weekend. The win over LSU snapped a five-match losing streak for the Owls against the Tigers. Freshman Allison Zipoli delivered the clinch point vs. LSU (her second clinch point of the season) and earned C-USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week honors for her efforts.
UTSA: The Roadrunners are 1-7 this season and have lost their last four after defeating Sam Houston on January 30. This will be the 22nd meeting between the schools since 1982 with Rice having won each match in the series. The Owls took a 7-0 decision last year at GRBTC.
Texas A&M: The Aggies (13-1) are currently ranked seventh in the ITA computer rankings and eighth in the Tennis Channel/USTA coaches poll. The have won four straight since falling in the first round of the ITA National Indoor Championship to #4 Cal, 4-3. This will be the first regular season meeting between teams since Valentine's Day in 2018 when Rice downed the Aggies 4-3 at GRBTC. The last two meetings have come in the opening round of the NCAA Championship, with A&M winning both 4-3. Since 1982, the Aggies lead the series 24-10. Elizabeth Schmidt is 2-4 in her career vs. A&M.
Ranked Players:
A&M singles: Carson Branstine 27; Tatiana Makarova 41, Mary Stoiana 91
A&M doubles: Jayci Goldsmith & Makarova 3
Noteable:
- Rice is 5-0 when winning the doubles point.
- Clinch points: Allison Zipoli (2), Anna Bowtell, Maria Budin and Saara Orav (1)
- Anna Bowtell is 4-1 in singles in the spring and is looking to reach double figures for the fifth consecutive dual season. She has a combined singles career record in tournaments and duals of 83-29 and is four wins from matching Elle Lewis, a 2021 Rice Athletics Hall of Fame inductee who finished her career with an 87-64 record) for 10th on the Owls career chart.
George R. Brown Tennis Center: Rice has posted a 64-14 regular-season record at GRBTC (11-0 in C-USA play) since making their debut at their new home by defeating Lamar 7-0 on 1/17/15. The Owls have also posted a 6-0 postseason mark while winning a pair of Conference USA titles at home (2015 & 2019).
Up Next: Rice will host Baylor on Wednesday, March 2 at GRBTC and then travel to Huntsville to meet Sam Houston next Sunday (March 6).
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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