Rice University
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Dartmouth
Men's Tennis Prepped for Three-Match Week, Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational
3/19/2024 3:52:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Owls to host Dartmouth plus 65th Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational
In Brief: Rice hosts a trio of teams at the George R. Brown Tennis Center this week. The Owls will kick off the week against Dartmouth on Wednesday, March 20, at 2 p.m. (CT). Rice will then face Wichita State and UAB as part of the 65th Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational. The Owls will face the Shockers on Friday, March 22, before concluding the week against the Blazers on Sunday, March 24. All weekend matches are scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT). Rice will also serve as the host for a neutral match between UAB and Wichita State on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m. (CT).
The Schedule: Wednesday - Dartmouth - 2 p.m. CT | Friday - vs. Wichita State - 11 a.m. CT | Sunday - vs. UAB - 11 a.m. CT | UAB vs. Wichita State - Saturday - 11 a.m. CT
Match Info: The Owls begin the week against the Big Green on Wednesday, March 20, at 2 p.m. (CT), before hosting the 65th Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational. Set to join the Owls for the tournament are Wichita State and UAB. Rice will take on the Shockers on Wednesday, March 22, before concluding the week against the Blazers on Sunday, March 24. Both matches are scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT). Rice will also host a neutral match between UAB and Wichita State on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m. (CT), as part of the Rice Invitational. All matches will be free admission. Live video and results will also be available for all matches.
The Owls: Rice enters the week ranked 58th in the latest ITA rankings and carries a three-match winning streak with a 9-6 overall record. The Owls went 2-0 on a California road trip last week, posting a 4-3 win over No. 47 UC Santa Barbara and a 5-2 victory over Cal Poly. Against the Gauchos, Rice dropped the doubles point but rallied in singles play with wins from juniors Arthus de la Bassetiere and Emir Sendogan plus freshman Petro Kuzmenok before sophomore Kabeer Kapasi clinched the comeback 4-3 win. The Owls started off the win against the Mustangs by capturing the doubles point with wins at the second and third positions. Singles victories from de la Bassetiere, Kuzmenok, Kapasi and senior Trinity Grear then pushed the Owls over the finishing line in the 5-2 win.
The Opposition: The Owls and Big Green have met four times previously, all since the 2017 season. Dartmouth holds a 3-1 advantage in the series and has won the past three meetings, including a 7-0 win in Hanover, New Hampshire, on Jan. 31, 2020. The Owls won, 4-1, in the inaugural matchup on March 18, 2017. This year, Dartmouth holds a 7-8 overall record including wins over Indiana, Temple and Purdue.
Wichita State will be participating in the Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational for the first time since winning the event in 2018, including a 4-3 win over Rice in the deciding match. The Owls won the only other two meetings in the series: 4-2 in Wichita, Kansas, on March 23, 1997, and 4-3 in San Diego, California, on March 9, 1997. The Shockers are 3-14 this season.
This will be UAB's first time competing in the Ralph O'Connor Rice Invitational. The Owls hold a 7-2 record against the Blazers all-time. UAB won the most recent meeting, 4-3, in Houston on April 21, 2023, snapping a seven-match winning streak for the Owls in the series. The Blazers are 8-8 on the season, but are 0-4 so far against AAC opponents.
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Players Mentioned
