Fresno State Athletics
No. 20 Women's Tennis Begins Season by Hosting TCU
1/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 19, 2004
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Match #1: No. 20 Fresno State (0-0) vs. No. 56 TCU (0-0)
Sunday, Jan. 25 -- 2 p.m. -- Wathen Tennis Center
What's Coming Up
Fresno State begins its 2003-04 campaign on Sunday with a match against 56th-ranked TCU. Match time is 2 p.m. at the Wathen Tennis Center. It is the Bulldogs' only home match until March 6.
What Home Court Advantage?
Few teams in the nation have as tough a beginning to their season as does the Fresno State women's tennis team. The Bulldogs get things underway on Sunday against No. 56 TCU, then hit the road for over a month, not returning to the Wathen Tennis Center until March 6. During the month of February, Fresno State plays seven matches away from home, each coming against nationally-ranked opponents. In a 12-day stretch beginning Feb. 17, the Bulldogs will play the Nos. 2, 3, 25, 36 and 37 ranked teams in the country. Fresno State does play five of its last eight matches at home.
Big Things Anticipated
Four returning letterwinners and one of the nation's top newcomers combine to make up this year's Fresno State women's tennis team. The Bulldogs are coming off another highly successful season that saw them go 17-8, win the WAC Tournament for a second year in a row and reach the second round of the NCAA's.
Back-to-Back in the WAC
Fresno State's season came to a close last week with a 4-2 loss to 15th-seeded Arizona State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Tempe, Ariz. The Bulldogs (17-8) led 2-0 after claiming the doubles point, but under a hot desert sun, Arizona State mounted a comeback with victories at Nos. 2-4. The Sun Devils picked up the clincher at No. 5 when Lauren Colalillo defeated Kathrin Winterhalter in straight sets. Chloe Carlotti was the only other match on the court when the match ended. The eighth-ranked sophomore was ahead of No. 7 Adria Engel 7-6 (3), 4-1 when the match was called.
New Coaching Staff
With the departure of Kevin Epley, who spent three years as the head coach at Fresno State, for William and Mary, the door opened for Simon Thibodeau to serve as interim head coach this year. A native of Quebec, Thibodeau had been hired to serve as Epley's assistant before Epley departed in September. Joining Thibodeau on the coaching staff will be assistant and former Bulldog standout Simone Jardim, a former All-American who helped lead Fresno State to the 2002 WAC title
