University of Houston Athletics
Busy Stretch Awaits Cougar Tennis
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
| No. 48 HOUSTON COUGARS vs. CINCINNATI BEARCATS | |
|---|---|
| Date/Time | Thursday, March 19 • 11 am CT |
| Location | Houston Country Club • Houston, Texas |
| Live Scoring | UHCougars.com/TennisScores |
| Series History | Houston leads, 4-1 |
| Social Media |   |
| No. 48 HOUSTON COUGARS vs. EAST CAROLINA PIRATES | |
| Date/Time | Friday, March 20 • 1 pm CT |
| Location | Houston Country Club • Houston, Texas |
| Live Scoring | UHCougars.com/TennisScores |
| Series History | Tied, 1-1 |
| Social Media | |
| No. 48 HOUSTON COUGARS vs. No. 62 MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD | |
| Date/Time | Sunday, March 22 • 11 am CT |
| Location | John E. Hoff Courts • Houston, Texas |
| Live Scoring | UHCougars.com/TennisScores |
| Series History | Tied, 1-1 |
| Social Media | |
HOUSTON - A month-long winning streak could reach historic proportions this week as the University of Houston tennis team takes part in their busiest stretch of the season, with three matches in four days. The Cougars host Cincinnati on Thursday at 11 am, East Carolina on Friday at 1 pm and No. 62 Marshall on Sunday at 11 am.
Houston's Thursday and Friday matches will take place at Houston Country Club, with the Sunday tilt against Marshall booked for the John E. Hoff Courts on campus. Live scoring for all three dates is available at UHCougars.com/TennisScores .
Houston (12-4) has won eight consecutive matches, the longest streak of the Patrick Sullivan Era. The stretch is tied for the fifth-longest in program history, behind 10-game winning streaks in 1990, 1991 and 2009 and a 13-game streak from Feb. 10 - March 23, 1990.
The Cougars went on the road and upended Tulane, 5-1, on Tuesday in New Orleans. Houston opened the day with a pair of dominating doubles wins and polished the match off with singles victories from Despoina Vogasari, Elena Kordolaimi, Mina Markovic and Angela Lorenzo. Sullivan's crew is now 3-0 against American Athletic Conference opponents this season.
Houston is ranked No. 48 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings, the highest mark among American Athletic Conference teams. Vogasari is the top-ranked American singles player, at No. 33, while Kordolaimi checks in at No. 107.
The Greek duo continues to set the pace for the Cougars. Vogasari is 23-6 with a team-high six wins over nationally-ranked opponents. Kordolaimi is 22-5, with victories in 15 of her last 16 completed singles matches.
In doubles play, Kordolaimi and Rocio Martin have each accounted for 10 wins this season, while the duo of Rupert and Maria Cardenas is 7-1, including a 4-1 spring mark.
 | SCOUTING CINCINNATI |
The Bearcats (5-6) fell in their last completed match, a 6-1 loss to Tulane on Monday afternoon. Cincinnati faces Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday afternoon before they travel to Houston to face the Cougars.
Junior Kelly Poggensee-Wei was the lone Bearcat to earn a point against Tulane, as she was victorious on the top singles court. Poggensee-Wei leads Cincinnati with nine singles wins this season, and freshman Ali Miller has eight.
Houston is 4-1 all-time against the Bearcats, with each of the five previous meetings occurring in either the Conference USA or American Tournament. In the last matchup, UH swept the Bearcats, 4-0, on April 18, 2014 in the American Quarterfinals. Vogasari took down Poggensee-Wei, 6-2, 6-3, while Cardenas and Charlotte Phillips also won singles matches.
| SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA |
The Pirates are 11-5 overall and have won two straight matches. They face Elon on Wednesday evening before flying west to meet up with the Cougars.
East Carolina last played on March 11, when they earned a 4-1 victory over Bryant and a 7-0 sweep of McMurry.
Junior Nicole LaDuca is ECU's top performer, with a 13-9 singles record. Sophomore Michelle Castro has 12 individual wins, while the doubles pairing of Maria Gomez and Neena Wanko is a team-best 12-4.
Houston is 1-1 in two prior battles with the Pirates, with both contests occurring in Conference USA Tournament play. UH won a 4-1 decision on April 21, 2006, and ECU came back with a 4-0 sweep on April 22, 2010.
| SCOUTING MARSHALL |
The Thundering Herd (11-4) jumped up 12 spots to No. 62 in this week's ITA national rankings. They play Rice on Wednesday night prior to their battle with Houston.
Marshall has won four straight matches, including a 7-0 sweep of Winthrop in their last contest, on March 15. Sophomore Anna Pomyatinskaya is a team-best 11-4 in the spring, while teammates Rachael Morales and Maddie Silver each own 10 victories.
The Cougars and Marshall have split two prior meetings. Houston was victorious on March 9, 2001, a 5-2 win at the John E. Hoff Courts. Marshall knocked Houston out of the 2013 Conference USA Tournament, however, with a 4-3 win. Kordolaimi and Martin each won singles points in the loss.
| UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS |
Following the Marshall match, Houston will take five days off before hosting Dartmouth and Tyler Junior College on Saturday, March 28 at Houston Country Club. The day's festivities begin at 11 am, and live scoring is available at UHCougars.com/TennisScores .
| JOIN THE CENTER COURT CLUB |
The Cougars are proud to introduce the Center Court Club, a restricted-giving program that directly impacts the needs of the University of Houston Tennis program. Gifts to the Center Court Club provide financial support directly to the University of Houston Tennis program for needs beyond the program's operating budget. Revenue generated from the Center Court Club is used at the discretion of the Head Coach for program enhancements. Membership in the Center Court Club is annual and requires a minimum $100 gift.
LEVELS OF GIVING
WINNER
For a minimum gift of $100, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball.
ACE
For a minimum gift of $500, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation and a stadium blanket.
US OPEN
For a minimum gift of $1,000, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation, a stadium blanket, fleece jacket and a lesson from the coach.
GRAND SLAM
For a minimum gift of $2,500, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation, a stadium blanket, fleece jacket, a lesson from the coach and a group lesson from the coaching staff.
Join the Center Court Club
| FOLLOW THE COUGARS! |
Fans can keep up with the latest in University of Houston Cougar athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonAthletics), Twitter (@UHCougarSports), Instagram (houstoncougars) and YouTube.com (Youtube.com/UHAthletics). In addition, the women's tennis team has established its own official Facebook (Facebook.com/HoustonCougarTennis) and Twitter pages (@UHCougarTennis).
--UHCougars.com--
Players Mentioned
