UPCOMING MATCHES

Match Notes

No. 44 Dartmouth Big Green at UC Irvine Anteaters
Sunday March 20, 2016/11:00 a.m.
Anteater Tennis Stadium

UC Irvine Anteaters at UC Davis Aggies
Thursday March 24, 2016/11:00 a.m.
Davis, Calif.

UC Irvine Anteaters at No.24 Fresno State Bulldogs
Saturday March 26, 2016/ 11:00 a.m.
Fresno, Calif.

A FULL WEEK

UC Irvine played host to three matches last week which included a rain out mid-play against Furman.

The Anteaters started off strong defeating Middle Tennessee 4-3 on Tuesday (March 8). The Blue Raiders took the doubles point to lead, but UCI came back to win in singles at flights two, three, four and six. No. 6 Cassidy Branstine forced a third set to take her match and give the 'Eaters the final point to win the team match.

Georgetown took the match against UC Irvine on Thursday (March 10) 4-1 after the Anteaters earned the doubles point. The Hoyas secured victories in the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6 spots clinching the fourth point to win the match.

It was a race against Mother Nature on Friday (March 11) as UC Irvine took on Furman starting the match early and with singles to try to get the contest in before the rain came. Ashlynn Hall quickly won at flight six giving the 'Eaters the first point, but Furman tied it up with a win at flight five. UC Irvine played strong in all of the other singles matches with wins in the first sets and either playing in the second or third set when the rain started pouring and did not let up. The match was suspended and eventually cancelled.

IVY LEAGUE

After a week off of competition for final exams, the Anteaters will host No. 44 Dartmouth on Sunday (March 20) at 11 a.m. at the Anteater Tennis Stadium.

The Big Green are 6-2 on the season while boasting nationally ranked No.14 doubles pair Taylor Ng and Kristina Mathis. Dartmouth last competed on February 21 when they defeated UMass 6-1. They will face San Diego State before heading up to compete against UC Irvine.

The 'Eaters most recent match-up with the Big Green was last season when Dartmouth defeated UCI 5-2 at the Anteater Tennis Stadium.

BIG WEST COMPETITION

UC Irvine will challenge the Aggies at UC Davis (5-8) for their third Big West conference match of the season and the Aggies' sixth. UC Davis has played three nationally ranked teams this season including No. 21 UCLA where the team lost 4-0, but doubles pair Tiffany Pham and Alex Huie earned the win at flight two.

In the past five seasons the 'Eaters have gone 5-2 against the Aggies including two wins over UC Davis in the Big West semi-finals.

BULLDOGS

The Anteaters will travel to Fresno, Calif. to take on No. 24 Fresno State (10-4) on Saturday March 26 at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs climbed up four spots in the ITA national rankings this week after defeating No. 40 Washington State 4-3.

Contributing to the Bulldogs' success is nationally ranked singles player No. 34 Mayar Sherif Ahmed who is also ranked in doubles with Rana Sherif Ahmed as the No. 20 pair.

The 'Eaters competed against Fresno State last season where they defeated the Bulldogs 4-3 at the Anteater Tennis Stadium.

FALL REFLECTIONS

The Anteaters had their full arsenal out in fall play taking place in five tournaments across Southern California.

They took place in a pair of San Diego State classics where youth was served as Taylor LeFridge, Alex Harrigan, and Stephanie Hazell each finished second in their respective draws.

Harrigan also finished as a runner-up in Flight C of the CSUN Matador Invite. Freshman Catherine Kreslin had her best showing taking fifth place in Flight D.

Hazell finished as a consolation semifinalist in the ITA Regionals joined by Arisha Ladhani's run to the Round of 32.

The annual Jack Kramer Collegiate Invite saw senior and local Sarah Gong reach the quarterfinals. She also notched a third place finish in her respective SDSU Classic draw.