Fresno State Athletics
No. 39 `Dogs Head South to Face Two Ranked Foes
4/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 9, 2015
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. -- The No. 39-ranked Fresno State women's tennis team puts its nine-match winning streak on the line as it takes on a pair of ITA Top 75 opponents this weekend on the road, first facing No. 68 UC Irvine on Friday 1:30 p.m., PT, and then taking on No. 73 San Diego State on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Match Info
Date: April 10
No. 39 Fresno State (15-3) at No. 68 UC Irvine (12-7) -- Irvine, Calif. (Anteater Tennis Stadium)
Time: 1:30 p.m., PT
Date: April 12
No. 39 Fresno State (15-3, 4-0 MW) at No. 73 San Diego State (10-9, 1-1 MW) -- San Diego, Calif. (Aztec Tennis Center)
Time: 11 a.m., PT
In the Rankings
- On March, 17, the Fresno State women's tennis team moved up No. 33 in the ITA rankings, the team's highest ranking since Feb. 4, 2010 when the team was 29th in the country.
- The `Dogs had a rare off-week last week and slipped one spot in the rankings to No. 34.
- After defeating then-No 44. Colorado on Feb. 28, which was 8-1 on the year heading into the match, the `Dogs put together a dominant 4-1 victory that moved them back into the ITA Top 75 since the season opened. On March 5, Fresno State came in at No. 62.
- A week later, the Bulldogs made a 20-spot jump, moving up to No. 42.
`Dogs Against Ranked Foes in 2015
- Fresno State has faced eight ranked opponents this season, facing seven of them in dual matches, posting a 5-2 record.
- At the Cal Nike Winter Invitational, the Bulldogs faced then-No. 7 Cal and No. 46 Saint Mary's in a round robin format.
- In dual matches, the `Dogs saw Saint Mary's in Berkeley at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend, falling 4-0. Two weeks later, the team defeated No. 64 Kansas State 5-2 on its home court, which avenged the squad's only loss at home under head coach Ryan Stotland.
- In their next match against a ranked opponent, the Bulldogs fell 5-2 at home to No. 39 Wichita State.
- Fresno State earned its second win of the season over a Top 75 team, defeating No. 44 Colorado 4-1 on Feb. 28 in a neutral site match at Boise State which moved Fresno State back into the ITA rankings.
- In their next match, the `Dogs knocked-off No. 73 UC Santa Barbara in dominant fashion, 6-1. UCSB had previously defeated Saint Mary's which down the Bulldogs 4-0 during the second weekend of the season.
- Against its first ranked conference foe of the season, Fresno State downed No. 60 San Jose State, 5-2.
- The Bulldogs defeated their fifth ranked opponent of the season on March 27, knocking off No. 55 Denver, 5-2, on the road
Last Time Out
- The Bulldogs returned to action last week as the team hosted Senior Day against Nevada, defeating the Mountain West opponent 7-0.
- All three of the `Dogs' seniors walked off of Spalding G. Wathen Court for the final time, each finishing their home careers with a straight-set win.
Dominant Sisters
- While they may have lost an early season doubles match to then-No. 4 Denise Starr and Meagan Manasse of Cal by a 6-3 score, sisters Maiar and Rana Sherif Ahmed have been otherwise dominant since joining each other on the court again, holding a 19-1 overall record.
- They have held 11 of their 19 opponents to two points or less, with one of their matches going unfinished.
- The duo is riding a 17-match win streak and are 16-0 when playing at No. 1.
Owning Doubles
- In the Bulldogs 18 matches, they have won the doubles point 16 times, dropping only one of the two matches in which they have claimed the opening point.
- Fresno State has a combined 28-2 record at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles spots this season.
Devastating Trio
- It's been nearly automatic in the top two singles spots for the `Dogs this season as the team has a combined 32-1 record between Sophie Watts and Maiar Sherif Ahmed.
- Toss in the No. 3 spot where the team is 14-3 overall and 12-2 behind Rana Sherif Ahmed the `Dogs trio at the top has a devastating 44-3 record when playing in their best positions.
- Fresno State has not lost more than one point in the top three spots in any match this season.
Perfect in Duals
- Ranked No. 70 in the country, junior Sophie Watts has won 18 singles matches in a row, and has not lost in singles play in dual matches this season, posting a 17-0 record.
- The 17 dual wins set a new season high, passing her total of 16 that she recorded as a freshman when she went 16-4.
- Since mid-February, she has rotated with Maiar Sherif Ahmed between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.
Spreading the Honors
- Three different Bulldogs have claimed Mountain West Player of the Week honors.
- Junior Rana Sherif Ahmed won the first weekly honor during opening week of the season, while junior Sophie Watts earned the accolade during the first week of February after defeating No. 49 Andrea Ka of San Francisco in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
- On March 4, Maiar was the third to earn the weekly honor as she helped the team win both its conference opener and defeat then-No. 44 Colorado in a two-day span as she went 2-0 in both singles and doubles.
- Watts became the first player to win multiple weekly honors this season when she received it on March 12 after going 2-0 in singles and 1-0 in doubles against No. 73 UCSB and Sacramento State.
- Rana claimed her second weekly honor on March 18 after going 2-0 in both singles and doubles against No. 60 San Jose State and Idaho.
- On April 1, Watts earned her third Player of the Week honor after a 4-0 weekend, earning both match-clinching points.
Nine in a Row
- After posting a six-match winning streak from Jan. 31-Feb.14, the Bulldogs passed that streak last weekend, winning their ninth consecutive match.
- The nine-match win streak is now the longest of the season and is the second-longest streak under third-year head coach Ryan Stotland, only behind last year's 12 consecutive dual victories.
Eyes on the Mountain West
- San Diego will mark Fresno State's fifth Mountain West opponent of the season with one (UNLV) left to be played during the regular season.
- The `Dogs have gone 4-0 in conference matches thus far, winning two matches 5-2 and the other two 7-0.
- The Bulldogs will be eyeing their second conference championship in a row when the tournament takes place on April 22-26 in Albuquerque, N.M.
Family Bond
- Last season, the Bulldogs had twin sisters Anneka and Sophie Watts on its roster.
- This season they added another set of sisters. With Rana Sherif Ahmed already on the squad, her younger sister Maiar decided to join her and play at Fresno State.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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