SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA women’s tennis team opens up its spring 2024 season with a couple of home matches this week, hosting St. Mary’s (TX) on Thursday at 1 p.m. before welcoming Abilene Christian on Friday at 1 p.m.
The Roadrunners are coming off one of their most successful seasons in recent history. UTSA ended last season with a 14-10 record, its most wins since the 2009 season and most under head coach Ki Kroll in his fifth season at the helm. Senior Aleksandra Zlatarova earned Conference USA All-Conference Singles First Team, after posting a 17-4 record at the top spot.
Other key returners include Magda Tuells and Fatima Gutierrez, who made an immediate impact on the squad’s success last season, as well as senior Eva Beyebach. The Roadrunners welcome four newcomers, including freshmen Vittoria Baccino, Ekua Youri and Milica Milosavljevic, and graduate transfer Cassie McLay.
The Roadrunners and Rattlers have only faced each other once before. UTSA defeated St. Mary’s (TX), 6-1, in the previous meeting on Jan. 30, 2016. The Rattlers ended last season with a 24-5 record, earning their second-straight Lone Star Conference Tournament title and third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance. St. Mary’s (TX) returns seven players, including Kyndall Quiroz, who collected 13 singles wins and 20 doubles wins last season.
The Wildcats of Abilene Christian have a 6-1 advantage over the Roadrunners in the all-time series. The teams last played each other on Jan. 21, 2023, when UTSA fell to ACU, 4-3. The matchup on Friday will be the Wildcats’ spring opener. ACU ended last season with an 11-13 record, falling to Grand Canyon in the first round of the WAC Championships, 4-0. The Wildcats return seven players, including Eva Arranz, Maria Cascos, Andrea Guerrero and Olivia Sears who all recorded double-digit singles wins.
The Roadrunners head north up I-35 to face the Bobcats of Texas State at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27.
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