TicketsMarch 30, 2007
SETTING THE SCENE::
After a three-week layoff, the University of Cincinnati tennis team hosts Syracuse today at 7 p.m. This weekend marks the final two home matches of the season for Cincinnati (8-4). The Orange stands at 5-7 this year and carries the momentum of back-to-back victories into the match.
FIRST TIME UNDER THE LIGHTS:
This evening marks the first time this season that the Bearcats' are set to play at the Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center. Tonight's tilt is also the first night match ever hosted by UC. Opened in the spring of 2006, the Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center has seating for 500 and is located off Corry Street near the Richard E. Lindner Center.
STREAKING CATS:
The Bearcats enter the weekend boasting a back-to-back victories. Senior Hannah Hinton has claimed the top spot in the lineup and has won seven of her last eight matches. Sophomore Jenny Rowen started the dual season 0-4, but has won five of her last six.
FAST START:
Freshman Rachel Owens, the only true freshman on the team, is off to a blazing start. She won her first six matches and currently owns a 16-6 record. She reached the flight D finals at the Hampton Roads Collegiate Invitational and won all three matches at the Miami Invitational. Owens is playing in the top two spots in the lineup and won the clinching match in a tie-breaker at No. 1 singles to earn UC's season-opening win over Bowling Green.
BACK IN FORM:
After winning 17 matches as a freshman, including a team-best 13 dual wins, senior Hannah Hinton has missed most of the past two seasons with injuries. She returned to the full-time lineup in the fall and is now 15-6. She posted four wins at Dartmouth's Big Green Invitational to reach the A singles final, beating the No. 3 and No. 8 seeds on the way.
NEWCOMERS LEADING THE WAY:
The Bearcats have just two players who have earned more than one letter at UC and just one, senior Hannah Hinton, is in the starting lineup. UC is seeing great results from the last two recruiting classes, starting with freshman Rachel Owens and her 16-6 record. Transfers Valeriya Dandik (Missouri) and Alizee Paradis (Marshall) have claimed starting spots, along with sophomores Elizabeth Young and Jenny Rowen.
MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT:
After posting a 1-16 mark last year (and just 5-16 before that), the Bearcats have made a huge turnaround, already winning eight dual matches, including a win over Rutgers for UC's first win over a BIG EAST opponent since joining the league. The Bearcats have won 79 singles matches this year, already 35 more than last year's total. The current 43 dual match singles wins is 28 greater than last year's total. A healthier lineup and consistency at the top have been the big factors. After going 0-17 at No. 1 singles last year, Rachel Owens and Hannah Hinton have gone 9-3 for UC in that spot so far this season.
UP NEXT:
The Bearcats wrap up their home schedule by hosting DePaul on Saturday at 4 p.m at the Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center.