University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Thursday, March 22
Greeley, Colo.
2:30 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Colorado Mesa
Preview: @UNCO_WTennis Trying to Find Momentum
3/21/2018 12:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Team returns home for two matches this week
THE SCHEDULE
Spring Match 11
Thursday, March 22 - 2:30 p.m.
vs. Colorado Mesa University
UNC Tennis Courts (weather contingent)
Spring Match 12
Saturday, March 24 - 10:00 a.m.
vs. Weber State
UNC Tennis Courts (weather contingent)
GREELEY, Colo. - The Bears have returned from their two-match trip to Portland, Oregon and will play a pair of home matches next, beginning with Colorado Mesa on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, they are scheduled to play Big Sky rival Weber State at 10:00 a.m. With the warming weather conditions, both matches this week will be outside on the UNC campus tennis courts as long as the rain and snow stay away.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bears snapped a five-match losing streak on Sunday when they defeated Portland State 4-3 for their first Big Sky conference win of the season. It was the bottom portion of the singles lineup that got the job done for UNC. Madeline Doherty beat Gerda Upniece 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3. Sarina Chhabra defeated Taylor Rees after dropping the first set 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4. Mana Koitabashi beat Ashley Knecht 6-3, 6-0 at No. 5 and the Bears won at No. 6 by default.
Bears assistant coach Marissa Baca called the win, "a turning point in the season" and the team will be looking to keep the momentum moving in a positive direction this weekend.
FOR THE BEARS
Raffa Mora has held down the No. 1 position all spring after playing mostly No. 6 last season. She is 2-7 at the position so far and did not play singles against Portland State on Sunday. Tristen Bryant-Otake still has the best winning percentage on the team in singles. She is 3-5 at No. 2 and 0-1 at No. 1. Anna Battersby continues to work her way back after major injury and is currently playing No. 3 singles and No. 3 doubles.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS (9-12, 1-1 Conference)
Colorado Mesa has had a tough stretch of road matches lately and lost three in a row before turning it around in their last match against Biola University. Kirsten Kirby has been by far the best player on the squad. At No. 1 singles, Kirby is 12-8 and the only player with a winning record. Emily Beckley is 5-10 at No. 2 and Rebecca Osterberg is 6-9 at No. 3.
The Mavericks' doubles lineup has shifted significantly this spring and 11th year head coach Dan MacDonald has used ten different combinations. Kirby and Beckley have been used the most at No. 1 and have a 4-4 record.
Colorado Mesa's team is made up of five juniors, three sophomores, and two freshmen. It has been a while since the Bears and Mavericks have played one another. The last meeting was 2014 when Northern Colorado won 7-0 in Greeley.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS (6-6, 3-1 Big Sky)
Weber State has won four of their last five duels and is fresh off a 7-0 shutout over Portland State on Friday. In that match, Pei Hsuan Kuo defeated Siena Peri at No. 1 singles 2-6, 7-6(4), 12-10. Caitlin Herb beat Eszter Zador 3-6, 6-1, 10-6, and Sara Parker defeated Gerda Upniece 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3.
The Bears path to victory over Weber State may need to come through the bottom of the singles lineup, similar to UNC against Portland State. The team doubles point is always up for grabs as well and could be very important.
Weber State is 35-35 in singles all singles matches this spring, while their doubles record stands at 13-19. Three players have played the No. 1 singles position and Caitlin Herb is 4-0 when playing No. 2. In doubles, the duo consisting of Herb and Kuo are 6-3 at No. 1. McKenna Lloyd and Sara Parker are 2-7 at No. 2 and Emily Tanner and Tereza Pilzova are 1-3 at No. 3.
Brad Ferreira is head coach of the Wildcats for the third straight season. He led the team to the Big Sky regular season Championship in 2015. Last season, Weber State finished 4-16 overall, 4-7 in the Big Sky. Northern Colorado beat Weber State 5-2 in Ogden, Utah last spring. Current Bears' Anna Battersby and Raffa Mora were both winners in singles at No. 1 and No. 5 respectively.
ELSEWHERE IN THE BIG SKY
Northern Arizona is the only undefeated team left in the Big Sky at 5-0. Northern Colorado sits alone in tenth with a 1-3 record (3-7 overall). Weber State is tied for third with Eastern Washington at 3-1. Southern Utah has won three straight non-conference matches but has not been able to translate it into conference play. They are still 0-2 in the Big Sky. Last week's Big Sky player of the week was Hristina Cvetkovic (Idaho State). Caitlin Herb (Weber State) won the honor in the week previous.
Spring Match 11
Thursday, March 22 - 2:30 p.m.
vs. Colorado Mesa University
UNC Tennis Courts (weather contingent)
Spring Match 12
Saturday, March 24 - 10:00 a.m.
vs. Weber State
UNC Tennis Courts (weather contingent)
GREELEY, Colo. - The Bears have returned from their two-match trip to Portland, Oregon and will play a pair of home matches next, beginning with Colorado Mesa on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, they are scheduled to play Big Sky rival Weber State at 10:00 a.m. With the warming weather conditions, both matches this week will be outside on the UNC campus tennis courts as long as the rain and snow stay away.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bears snapped a five-match losing streak on Sunday when they defeated Portland State 4-3 for their first Big Sky conference win of the season. It was the bottom portion of the singles lineup that got the job done for UNC. Madeline Doherty beat Gerda Upniece 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3. Sarina Chhabra defeated Taylor Rees after dropping the first set 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4. Mana Koitabashi beat Ashley Knecht 6-3, 6-0 at No. 5 and the Bears won at No. 6 by default.
Bears assistant coach Marissa Baca called the win, "a turning point in the season" and the team will be looking to keep the momentum moving in a positive direction this weekend.
FOR THE BEARS
Raffa Mora has held down the No. 1 position all spring after playing mostly No. 6 last season. She is 2-7 at the position so far and did not play singles against Portland State on Sunday. Tristen Bryant-Otake still has the best winning percentage on the team in singles. She is 3-5 at No. 2 and 0-1 at No. 1. Anna Battersby continues to work her way back after major injury and is currently playing No. 3 singles and No. 3 doubles.
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS (9-12, 1-1 Conference)
Colorado Mesa has had a tough stretch of road matches lately and lost three in a row before turning it around in their last match against Biola University. Kirsten Kirby has been by far the best player on the squad. At No. 1 singles, Kirby is 12-8 and the only player with a winning record. Emily Beckley is 5-10 at No. 2 and Rebecca Osterberg is 6-9 at No. 3.
The Mavericks' doubles lineup has shifted significantly this spring and 11th year head coach Dan MacDonald has used ten different combinations. Kirby and Beckley have been used the most at No. 1 and have a 4-4 record.
Colorado Mesa's team is made up of five juniors, three sophomores, and two freshmen. It has been a while since the Bears and Mavericks have played one another. The last meeting was 2014 when Northern Colorado won 7-0 in Greeley.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS (6-6, 3-1 Big Sky)
Weber State has won four of their last five duels and is fresh off a 7-0 shutout over Portland State on Friday. In that match, Pei Hsuan Kuo defeated Siena Peri at No. 1 singles 2-6, 7-6(4), 12-10. Caitlin Herb beat Eszter Zador 3-6, 6-1, 10-6, and Sara Parker defeated Gerda Upniece 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3.
The Bears path to victory over Weber State may need to come through the bottom of the singles lineup, similar to UNC against Portland State. The team doubles point is always up for grabs as well and could be very important.
Weber State is 35-35 in singles all singles matches this spring, while their doubles record stands at 13-19. Three players have played the No. 1 singles position and Caitlin Herb is 4-0 when playing No. 2. In doubles, the duo consisting of Herb and Kuo are 6-3 at No. 1. McKenna Lloyd and Sara Parker are 2-7 at No. 2 and Emily Tanner and Tereza Pilzova are 1-3 at No. 3.
Brad Ferreira is head coach of the Wildcats for the third straight season. He led the team to the Big Sky regular season Championship in 2015. Last season, Weber State finished 4-16 overall, 4-7 in the Big Sky. Northern Colorado beat Weber State 5-2 in Ogden, Utah last spring. Current Bears' Anna Battersby and Raffa Mora were both winners in singles at No. 1 and No. 5 respectively.
ELSEWHERE IN THE BIG SKY
Northern Arizona is the only undefeated team left in the Big Sky at 5-0. Northern Colorado sits alone in tenth with a 1-3 record (3-7 overall). Weber State is tied for third with Eastern Washington at 3-1. Southern Utah has won three straight non-conference matches but has not been able to translate it into conference play. They are still 0-2 in the Big Sky. Last week's Big Sky player of the week was Hristina Cvetkovic (Idaho State). Caitlin Herb (Weber State) won the honor in the week previous.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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