Women's Tennis Opens NCAA Championship Play Saturday
5/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 8, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 24th-ranked women's tennis team will head to Athens, Ga. for the First and Second Rounds of the 2009 NCAA Women's Tennis Championships. The Crimson Tide will square off with 35th-ranked Boise State on Saturday, May 9 at 9:00 a.m. (CST) in the first round. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
"The team has been preparing all season for the opportunity to be playing in May," said head coach Jenny Mainz. "They have committed themselves wholeheartedly to raising their level through the course of the season. We finished the regular season with much confidence and momentum at the SEC Championships. It's been a team goal to play our best tennis at the right time, and our best tennis is still in front of us. We need to execute it this weekend."
Alabama is heading back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. That year, the Tide lost a close 4-3 decision to Virginia in Durham, N.C. Alabama's best finish in the NCAA Tournament has been the second round, which was most recently accomplished in 2003 when they took down host Oklahoma 4-0 before going down to Georgia 4-1. This will be the Tide's ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history, and seventh under head coach Jenny Mainz. This has been one of the most memorable seasons for Alabama, as the team collected a 15-8 record, including seven wins over ranked opponents, and reached as high as No. 16 in the rankings after beginning the season unranked.
Sophomore Tiffany Welcher is currently ranked No. 81 nationally in singles, with freshman Courtney McLane checking in one spot behind her at No. 82. Welcher and McLane also team up as the only nationally ranked doubles duo for the Tide, coming in at No. 46.
Boise State enters the weekend having lost in the finals of the WAC Championship to top seed and top-20 opponent Fresno State. The Broncos recorded 23 wins on the season and finished second in the WAC. Boise State reached a season high ranking of No. 25 the first week of March and was ranked inside the top 50 the entire season. Junior Pichittra Thongdach leads the way for the Broncos, currently ranked No. 69 nationally in singles. Boise State does not have a doubles pair ranked nationally. The Broncos are making their sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but have never advanced past the first round.
"I've told the team that the post season is a new season with new opportunities," added Mainz. "Every team, no matter who it is and what their respective ranking is, begins the post season with a 0-0 record. We need to continue focusing on doing the right things and taking care of business."
In the other first round match taking place in Athens, host and No. 2 overall seed Georgia will take on South Carolina State. Georgia enters the Tournament with a record of 23-2, winning both the SEC regular season and tournament championships. The Tide faced the Bulldogs twice this season, with Georgia taking both meetings. This is its 23rd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, including claiming national championships in 1994 and 2000.
South Carolina State comes in with a record of 14-4. The Lady Bulldogs are taking part in their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament after winning the MEAC championship. Alabama has never faced South Carolina State.
The winners of the Alabama/Boise State and Georgia/South Carolina State matches will battle on Sunday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. (CST) in the second round. All action will take place at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Live scoring can be accessed by clicking here or visiting georgiadogs.com
Players Mentioned
