Hawkeyes Set to Play Nationally Ranked Foes

Feb. 29, 2012

Complete Release

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s tennis team takes on two nationally ranked opponents this weekend. The Hawkeyes travel to South Bend, Ind. to play No. 17 Nortre Dame (8-3) on Friday at 2:30 p.m. (CT), before returning to the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex to face No. 36 DePaul (9-3) on Sunday at 10 a.m. (CT). Live scoring will be available on the women’s tennis schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.

PROTECTING THEIR HOUSE
The Hawkeyes improved to 4-0 at home this season with a 7-0 win over Northern Iowa on Feb. 25. Iowa last opened a season 4-0 at home in 2007-08, when they won their first six home duals. Iowa topped Marquette (5-2), DePaul (4-3), Alabama (4-3), Mississippi (5-2), Missouri (6-1) and Northern Illinois (7-0) that season. The Hawkeye are 15-7 at home under Dougherty.

SERIES RECORDS
Iowa is 1-17 all-time against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish won a 6-1 decision the last time the two teams met in 2010. The Hawkeyes own a 10-2 series record against the Blue Demons. Iowa fell at DePaul, 5-2, last season.

DOUBLES STREAK EXTENDED TO 21
The Hawkeyes swept the doubles point against Northern Iowa on Feb. 25. Iowa extended its win streak to 21 dual matches when sweeping the doubles point.

10 AWAY FROM ELITE COMPANY
Senior Sonja Molnar topped Northern Iowa’s Nina Pfahler, 6-1, 6-1, on Feb. 25 to earn the 90th singles win of her Hawkeye career. With 16 regular season duals remaining, Molnar is 10 wins away from joining Milica Veselnovic (113 career wins) and Laura Dvorak (102 wins) as the only Hawkeyes in program history to win 100 career singles matches.

6-0 SONJA
Senior Sonja Molnar improved to 6-0 during dual play after defeating Nina Pfhaler of UNI at the No. 1 spot on Feb. 25. The Guelph, Ontario, native’s previous best start to a season was 2-0 start in 2009.

4-0 FRESHMEN DUO
Freshmen Ellen Silver and Katie Zordani are team-best 4-0 as a doubles duo during dual play. Silver and Zordani played at the No. 2 position for the first time this season on Feb. 25 vs. Northern Iowa. The pair beat Cassandra Dix and Krissy Lankelma, 8-6. Silver and Zordani’s other three victories have come at the No. 3 spot.

ITA RANKINGS
Senior Sonja Molnar was ranked No. 110 by the ITA on Feb. 28. DePaul and Notre Dame also had athletes ranked in the poll. DePaul’s Jasmin King was tabbed 121st. Notre Dame has three ranked athletes, as Shannon Mathews (No. 52), Kristy Frilling (No. 73) and Britney Sanders (No. 102) were all included in the poll. In addition, Mathews and Frilling are considered the second-best doubles duo in the country according to the ITA.

BIG WINS BY OPPONENTS
Both Notre Dame and DePaul won matches against ranked teams. Notre Dame topped No. 16 Georgia Tech, 4-3, on Feb. 26, while DePaul deafeated No. 31 Arkansas on Feb. 25. The Hawkeyes have played one nationally ranked opponent (No. 32 Oklahoma) this season.