University of Houston Athletics
Wednesday, February 5
Houston, TX
5 PM
University of Houston
at
Rice
Photo by: Erik Williams
PREVIEW: Tennis Opens Five-Game Road Swing at Rice and SMU
2/4/2025 3:40:00 PM | Tennis
Cougars face Rice at 5 p.m., Wednesday, and SMU at noon, Friday
HOUSTON – The University of Houston Tennis team hits the road for the first time season when it heads to Rice at 5 p.m., Wednesday, at the George R. Brown Tennis Center. The Cougars complete the weekend with a trip to Dallas to face SMU at noon, Friday, at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex.
Fans can attend the action at Rice free of charge. A live stream for Wednesday's match can be found here or follow live stats here.
Action from SMU can be seen here with live stats for Friday's dual are available here.
Four Cougars have two singles victories on the young season, including fifth-year Santa Strombacha and sophomores Elizaveta Morozova and Valeriia Krokhotina winning their last two. Junior Sophie Schouten has also tallied two singles victories.
Doubles partners Schouten and junior Gabriela Cortes, and Strombacha and Morozova lead the way with two doubles victories each on their respective courts.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Houston played a handful of fall matches against both Rice and SMU as the Cougars boasted a 2-0 singles record and 1-1 doubles record against the Mustangs. Cortes defeated Carolina McGinley, 4-6, 6-2, 10-5, at the Baylor Invite and Sepa took down June Bjork, 6-7 (10-8), 6-1, 6-4, at the SMU Invite
In doubles action, Cortes and Schouten took down Arianna Stavropoulous and McGinley, 6-3, at the Baylor Invite, before McGinley and Bjork took down Strombacha and Schouten, 6-3, at the SMU Invite.
The Cougars went 0-1 in singles and 2-1 in doubles action against the Owls.
At the Baylor Invite, Fernanda Martinez defeated Cortes, 6-1, 6-3, while Cortes and Sophie bested Nithesa Selvaraj and Saara Orav, 6-1. Sepa and Krokhotina upset Divna Ratkovic and Valentina Serrano, 8-4.
Orav and Selvaraj got their revenge as they defeated Strombacha and Schouten, 8-4, at the ITA Regionals in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rice
The Owls are 4-1 with three-straight sweeps to open the season. Their lone loss came in their last match as TCU defeated Rice, 4-2, in Houston (Feb. 1).
Darya Schwartzman leads the Owls with a 5-0 singles record on court one in dual matches. Nithesa Selvaraj, Saara Orav and Fernanda Martinez are also undefeated on their respective courts.
Schwartzman and Martinez pace Rice with a 4-1 doubles record on court one.
Rice leads the all-time series 22-16, with the Cougars taking a 4-2 win in the most recent meeting (April 15, 2023). Schouten and former Cougar Laura Slisane defeated Diae El Jardi and Allision Zipoli, 6-4, to clinch the doubles point for the Cougars. Cortes claimed the Houston victory over then-ranked #56 Rice as she defeated Maria Budin, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).
Houston has dropped nine of the last 10 meetings against Rice, including the last four at their place. The last time the Cougars defeated the Owls on South Main was a 5-2 win in 2004 (March 26).
SMU
SMU owns a 3-4 record with losses to #21 Vanderbilt (5-2), Arkansas (4-3) Clemson (4-1) and #19 NC State (5-0).
June Bjork and Millie Skelton lead the Mustangs with four singles wins each while Arianna Atavropoulous and Drew Morris own the team high with five doubles victories.
Houston and SMU meet for the 38th time in program history with the Mustangs leading the series, 27-11. The Mustangs have won the last six meetings as the Cougars last victory came in the American Conference Tournament Semifinals where Houston won 4-1 to advance to the championship match (April 17, 2005).
The last Houston victory in Dallas came in 2014 when the Cougars knocked off the Mustangs, 5-2 (March 22).
LAST TIME OUT
The Cougars picked up a 4-1 victory over Tarleton State as doubles pairings Cortes/Schouten and Strombacha/Morozova each won, 7-5, on courts three and one, respectively.
Krokhotina and Strombacha made quick work of their opponents with 6-1 set victories.
Tarleton State got on the board as Schouten fell to Maria Castano, 6-1, 6-4.
Morozova clinched the victory with a win on court four over Ximena Morales, 6-0, 7-5.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Tennis by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's very own NIL collective and by joining the Center Court Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Tennis for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarTennis on X, formerly known as Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarTennis or on the team's Instagram page at @uhcougartennis.
Fans can attend the action at Rice free of charge. A live stream for Wednesday's match can be found here or follow live stats here.
Action from SMU can be seen here with live stats for Friday's dual are available here.
Four Cougars have two singles victories on the young season, including fifth-year Santa Strombacha and sophomores Elizaveta Morozova and Valeriia Krokhotina winning their last two. Junior Sophie Schouten has also tallied two singles victories.
Doubles partners Schouten and junior Gabriela Cortes, and Strombacha and Morozova lead the way with two doubles victories each on their respective courts.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
Houston played a handful of fall matches against both Rice and SMU as the Cougars boasted a 2-0 singles record and 1-1 doubles record against the Mustangs. Cortes defeated Carolina McGinley, 4-6, 6-2, 10-5, at the Baylor Invite and Sepa took down June Bjork, 6-7 (10-8), 6-1, 6-4, at the SMU Invite
In doubles action, Cortes and Schouten took down Arianna Stavropoulous and McGinley, 6-3, at the Baylor Invite, before McGinley and Bjork took down Strombacha and Schouten, 6-3, at the SMU Invite.
The Cougars went 0-1 in singles and 2-1 in doubles action against the Owls.
At the Baylor Invite, Fernanda Martinez defeated Cortes, 6-1, 6-3, while Cortes and Sophie bested Nithesa Selvaraj and Saara Orav, 6-1. Sepa and Krokhotina upset Divna Ratkovic and Valentina Serrano, 8-4.
Orav and Selvaraj got their revenge as they defeated Strombacha and Schouten, 8-4, at the ITA Regionals in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rice
The Owls are 4-1 with three-straight sweeps to open the season. Their lone loss came in their last match as TCU defeated Rice, 4-2, in Houston (Feb. 1).
Darya Schwartzman leads the Owls with a 5-0 singles record on court one in dual matches. Nithesa Selvaraj, Saara Orav and Fernanda Martinez are also undefeated on their respective courts.
Schwartzman and Martinez pace Rice with a 4-1 doubles record on court one.
Rice leads the all-time series 22-16, with the Cougars taking a 4-2 win in the most recent meeting (April 15, 2023). Schouten and former Cougar Laura Slisane defeated Diae El Jardi and Allision Zipoli, 6-4, to clinch the doubles point for the Cougars. Cortes claimed the Houston victory over then-ranked #56 Rice as she defeated Maria Budin, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).
Houston has dropped nine of the last 10 meetings against Rice, including the last four at their place. The last time the Cougars defeated the Owls on South Main was a 5-2 win in 2004 (March 26).
SMU
SMU owns a 3-4 record with losses to #21 Vanderbilt (5-2), Arkansas (4-3) Clemson (4-1) and #19 NC State (5-0).
June Bjork and Millie Skelton lead the Mustangs with four singles wins each while Arianna Atavropoulous and Drew Morris own the team high with five doubles victories.
Houston and SMU meet for the 38th time in program history with the Mustangs leading the series, 27-11. The Mustangs have won the last six meetings as the Cougars last victory came in the American Conference Tournament Semifinals where Houston won 4-1 to advance to the championship match (April 17, 2005).
The last Houston victory in Dallas came in 2014 when the Cougars knocked off the Mustangs, 5-2 (March 22).
LAST TIME OUT
The Cougars picked up a 4-1 victory over Tarleton State as doubles pairings Cortes/Schouten and Strombacha/Morozova each won, 7-5, on courts three and one, respectively.
Krokhotina and Strombacha made quick work of their opponents with 6-1 set victories.
Tarleton State got on the board as Schouten fell to Maria Castano, 6-1, 6-4.
Morozova clinched the victory with a win on court four over Ximena Morales, 6-0, 7-5.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Tennis by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's very own NIL collective and by joining the Center Court Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Tennis for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarTennis on X, formerly known as Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarTennis or on the team's Instagram page at @uhcougartennis.
– UHCougars.com –
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