Racers Aim to Build on Momentum, Will Host Three Matches at Kenlake

Dates: Feb. 13 (12 p.m.), Feb. 14 (4:00 p.m.), Feb. 16 (10:00 a.m.)
Site (Venue): Hardin, Ky. (Kenlake Tennis Center)
Murray State Record (Streak): 5-1 (Won 3)
Central Arkansas Record (Streak): 2-4 (Won 1)
Wright State Record (Streak): 0-3 (Lost 3)
Western Kentucky Record (Streak): 3-4 (Lost 4)
Racers All-Time vs. Central Arkansas: 3-3
Racers All-Time vs. Western Kentucky: 27-10
MSU Next Match: Feb. 22^nd at UAB
MSU Next Home: March 13^th vs. Tennessee State

At 5-1, Murray State women's tennis will look to build on its best start since 1999 when they return home for three matches on the week. Beginning with a Thursday contest against Central Arkansas, the Racers will then host Wright State on Friday before closing the weekend against Western Kentucky on Sunday. All matches will take place at the Kenlake Tennis Center in Hardin, Kentucky.

Last Time Out:
The Racers came away with a pair of victories in Springfield, Missouri last weekend, earning a 5-2 win over the host Bears of Missouri State, followed by a 4-3 triumph over South Dakota. The Racers secured the doubles point in both contests as they extended their team doubles winning streak to six matches to open the 2020 season. While freshman Marit Kreugel earned victories in all matches across the two contests, every active player on Murray State's roster earned a win in either singles or doubles in one of the two weekend matches.

Entering the Weekend:
At 5-1, the Racers are off to their best start since 1999, and enter the weekend as winners of three-straight contests. The Racers, who have yet to lose away from home in 2020, have seen an immediate impact from freshman Marit Kreugel. The Vleuten, Netherlands native and current OVC Player of the Week remained undefeated in all competitions - improving to 6-0 in both doubles and singles matches to start the year. Kreugel's doubles teammate Sara Bjork is 3-0 in singles matches thus far, as the redshirt junior from Malmo, Sweden is also currently undefeated in all competitions through six dual matches.

All-Time Series:
The Racers will clash with Central Arkansas for the seventh time in program history, with the all-time series even at three wins apiece dating back to 2011. The Bears have gotten the best of the Racers in the last two meetings, however, with the most recent outing coming in a 4-3 decision at a neutral site in Mobile, Alabama a year ago.

The Racers also have a .500 all-time mark against their second opponent of the weekend as they hold a 2-2 mark against Wright State through four previous encounters. After earning victories in the first two meetings, the Racers have come up short in back-to-back matches against the Raiders. 2018 was the last time the two side met, with the Raiders earning a 5-2 victory on their home courts in Dayton, Ohio.

The final match of the weekend against Western Kentucky will feature the series with the most history, as the Racers and Hilltoppers are set to clash for the 38^th time, with Murray State holding a 27-10 record in the all-time series. The two sides have not met in a dual match since 2016 - a contest that saw the Hilltoppers break the Racers' 11-match winning streak in the series with a 6-1 result at the Kenlake Tennis Center in Hardin, Kentucky.

Scouting Central Arkansas:
The Bears enter the weekend at 2-4, but are coming off a dominant 7-0 victory over Arkansas State in their last time out. UCA's roster features the reigning SLC Freshman of the Year Chunxi Xin, who is 2-2 at the #1 singles position and 4-2 with teammate Fuka Nonoyama at #1 doubles. The Bears are coming off a 2019 season that saw them post a 20-8 overall record that included a 9-2 mark in the Southland Conference before earning the SLC Tournament crown and an NCAA Tournament berth.

Scouting Wright State:
The Raiders are still seeking their first win of 2020 entering the weekend, having dropped three-straight contests to begin the season. Wright State went 16-15 a year ago, with a 5-4 mark against Horizon League opponents. The Raiders were selected to finish seventh in this year's Horizon League preseason poll, and are led by junior Luisa Pelayo, who is 2-1 at a combination of the #1 and #2 singles positions, while posting a 3-0 record at a mix of #1 and #2 doubles.

Scouting Western Kentucky:
After opening the season with three-straight wins, Western Kentucky enters the weekend at 3-4 overall in the midst of a four-match losing streak. Coming off a 3-17 season under then first-year head coach Greg Davis, the Hilltoppers were winless in Conference USA competition a year ago. This season, they are led by senior Lisa Freiss, who carries a 5-1 singles record, competing primarily at the #4 position. The doubles team of Laura Bernardos/Tristen Bryant-Otake has also seen success, posting a 4-1 mark at the #2 doubles slot in 2020.

Racers Aim to Build on Momentum, Will Host Three Matches at Kenlake

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Players Mentioned

Sara Bjork

Marit Kreugel

Murray State University Athletics