The University of Utah women's tennis team is opening Pac-12 conference play this weekend against the California Golden Bears and Stanford Cardinal. The Utes will first play the Golden Bears on Friday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m. and then the Cardinal the following Sunday at 11 a.m.
MATCH INFORMATION
Utah (8-3) vs. California (3-4)
DATE | TIME: Friday, March 3 | 1:30 p.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, Utah | George S. Eccles Tennis Center
LIVE STATS: Click HereÂ
LIVE STREAM: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UteWomensTennis
MATCH INFORMATION
Utah (8-3) vs. Stanford (6-2)
DATE | TIME: Sunday, March 5 | 11 a.m. MT
LOCATION: Salt Lake City, Utah | George S. Eccles Tennis Center
LIVE STATS: Click HereÂ
LIVE STREAM: Click Here
TWITTER UPDATES: @UteWomensTennis
LAST TIME OUT
Utah traveled to Minneapolis, MN to take on the Memphis Tigers. The Utes were able to clinch the match, 4-1, after a rocky doubles. Despite Kaila Barksdale and Marcela Lopez winning their match 6-2, the team was unable to take the doubles point.
Utah was able to match Memphis on court one after Lopez's victory, 6-3, 6-3. With a matching score, Anastasia Goncharova was able to earn the Utes' second point. Townsend extended the lead on court one after winning, 7-5, 6-4. Tattini clinched the match for Utah after going to a third set, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. All other matches were left unfinished.
ITA NATIONAL RANKINGS
Head coach Ric Mortera has been able to keep the Utes ranked for the second consecutive year. In the most recent ITA poll, Utah women's tennis was able to come in at #56.Â
HEAD COACH RIC MORTERA
Ric Mortera is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Utah women's tennis program in 2022-23. So far in his tenure he has accumulated a 40-33 overall record. During the 2021-22 season, Mortera had the Utes reaching new heights. The team started a program best 9-0, which included wins over Big Ten foes Indiana and Minnesota, as well as Pac 12 opponent Washington State. He helped the Utes sign a top ten recruiting class nationally (No. 9)Â in 2022 and was named the ITA Mountain Region Coach of the Year.
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
California is 3-4 this season. They are currently ranked one spot above the Utes at 55th. The Golden Bears' Jessica Alsola and Katja Wiersholm are both ranked as individuals and a doubles team. Alsola is currently ranked 36th, Wiersholm is 122nd, and together they are 16th in doubles.Â
SCOUTING STANFORD
Stanford has won six of their eight matches. They are currently ranked 13th. The cardinals currently have four ranked singles players. Connie Ma sits at fifth, Angelica Blake is 20th, Alexandra Yepifanova rounds out the top 25, and Alexis Blokhina is ranked 72nd. Blake and Ma also team up to rank 57th in doubles.Â
UP NEXT
Utah women's tennis is headed south to take on the BYU Cougars on Saturday, March 11 at 1:30 p.m.
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