Coming Home

March 8, 2011

Complete Release in PDF Format

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s tennis team returns home after a three-match road trip to face future Big Ten Conference opponent Nebraska (10-1 overall) Sunday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. Action will start at 2 p.m. (CST). Admission is free. Live scoring will be provided at http://live.iowatennis.com

THE COMPETITION
The No. 36 Cornhuskers are currently on a nine match win streak that includes four wins over ranked opponents. NU is 5-1 against ranked foes this season, with the lone loss coming at No. 20 Northwestern. The Cornhuskers have climbed as high as No. 26 in the ITA poll, the best ranking in school history. Nebraska is led by Head Coach Scott Jacobson, the 2010 Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, and has a lineup that includes the No. 76 doubles team in the country, Madeleine Geibert and Stefanie Weinstein. Nebraska is 2-1 on the road this season and will host Ohio State Friday before traveling to face the Hawkeyes.

AT THE ITA CENTRAL REGIONAL
The Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers both competed at the ITA Central Regional Oct. 22-24. The teams met once in a singles match that pitted Sonja Molnar against Patricia Veresova. Molnar won 6-1, 7-6 (4).

HAWKEYES AT HOME
The Black and Gold are 1-1 this season while playing at the HTRC. Iowa was 8-3 at its home venue last season.

LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes fell 4-3 to Missouri at the Green Tennis Center Feb. 27. The Hawkeyes won the doubles point by winning at the top two positions. Iowa received singles victories from junior Sonja Molnar at the No. 1 position and freshman Christina Harazin at the No. 5 spot. Both individuals improved their singles records to 5-3 overall during dual match play.

SWITCHING IT UP
Coach Dougherty debuted a doubles lineup that included three new duos Feb. 27 against Missouri. Dougherty penciled in junior Sonja Molnar and senior Lynne Poggensee-Wei at the top spot, senior Jessica Young and freshman Christina Harazin at the No. 2 spot and juniors Ally Majercik and Cassandra Escobar at the No. 3 spot. The switch proved to benefit the Hawkeyes, as they won the doubles point for the first time in four matches.

NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE
Junior Sonja Molnar is ranked in the ITA’s singles and doubles polls. Molnar is currently tabbed as the No. 102 player in singles. The Guelph, Ontario, native has played at the No. 1 position in all eight dual matches. She and teammate Jessica Young also are included in the ITA’s doubles rankings, appearing at No. 33. The duo has gone 5-1 this season while playing at the top spot.