Southern Miss
UTSA
Golden Eagles Set to Kickoff Conference USA Play in Texas
3/13/2019 1:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - After heavy rains canceled a Monday match at Incarnate Word for the Golden Eagles (7-1, 0-0 CUSA), the women's tennis team had plenty of time to prepare for their Conference USA opener against Texas-San Antonio on Thursday morning. Following that match, Southern Miss will close its Texas trip against Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Saturday morning.Â
Thursday and Saturday's first serve is slated at 10 a.m.
The Golden Eagles are coming off a win at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 11 days ago. The 7-0 onslaught featured singles wins from Rikeetha Pereira, Tjasa Jerse, Ansastasija Cobanovic and Monique Burton. In total, the Golden Eagles dropped only one set in singles play and had two wins by forfeit in the last two pairings. Ebru Zeynep Yazgan and Pereira also dominated at No. 1 doubles, winning 6-3. Katia de la Garza and Burton followed at No. 2 doubles with a 6-1 win.Â
De la Garza leads the Golden Eagles with a 6-0 record between No. 3 and No. 4 singles. Pereira has posted a 5-1 record on court two this season. In doubles play, Pereira and Yazgan lead the team with a 7-1 record, while six of those wins have come at No. 2 doubles. Arina Amaning and Jerse have accumulated a 5-1 record at the No. 1 position.Â
Scouting UTSA
The Roadrunners head into Thursday's match as winners of their last two, and three of their last five. Both wins against Missouri State and Texas State came by a 6-1 score. At No. 1 singles, Jasmine Starr leads UTSA with a 7-8 record. Splitting time between No. 3 and No. 4 singles, Kylee Kato has posted an impressive 9-5 record. Kato and Starr have posted an 8-4 record at No. 1 doubles for the Roadrunners en route to a 7-3 record in their last 10 matches.Â
The two C-USA foes last met in 2017 at the C-USA Tournament in Denton, Texas. The Roadrunners knocked off the Golden Eagles by a 4-2 score, while Jerse and Pereira both went to three sets on court two and five, respectively.Â
Scouting UTRGV
When the UTRGV hosts the Golden Eagles in Edinburg, Texas, it will be searching for just its fourth win of the season. However, three of those losses have come from the hands of a Power Five school. The Vaqueros are paced by Dominique Ibarra's 4-2 record at No. 1 singles. Marine Darzyan and Ibarra have also posted a 4-2 record at No. 1 doubles.Â
Saturday's meeting marks the first time since 1999 that the schools have met. Southern Miss outlasted the Vaqueros that season, winning 9-0.Â
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Players Mentioned
