Fresno State Athletics
No. 30 Bulldogs head to No. 17 Texas Tech
1/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Since upsetting No. 34 Arkansas and No. 9 UCLA last weekend, No. 30 Fresno State hits the road this weekend as the Bulldogs face No. 17 Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. The first-ever dual match between the two teams is scheduled to start at 9 a.m., PT.
Match Info
Match #3 • Jan. 30, 2016
#30 Fresno State (2-0) at #17 Texas Tech (2-0)
9 a.m. PT • Lubbock, Texas
Series Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Bulldog Aces
• On Jan. 22 and 23, the Bulldogs completed back-to-back upsets over then-No. 34 Arkansas (4-1) and then-No. 9 UCLA (4-3) on the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. With the wins, the 'Dogs earned a spot in the ITA National Women's Team Championships in Madison, Wis.
• The trip to indoor nationals will be the Fresno State's third since 2008.
• The Bulldogs are one of five mid-major programs to earn a spot in the indoor Sweet 16 during the last decade.
• The win over UCLA was the program's fourth win over a Top 10 team since 2000 and second-ever over the Bruins.
• After post a 2-0 record in singles playing during the ITA Kick-Off Weekend, including the decisive point against UCLA, junior Galina Bykova was named Mountain West Player of the Week.
• Fresno State heads into the season returning five players (four seniors, one sophomore) from the 2015 season when they were undefeated in conference play and earned the No. 1 seed in 2015 Mountain West Championship.
• Sophomore Maiar Sherif Ahmed had a stellar fall season in which won the Jack Kramer Invite, placed second at the ITA Northwest Regional and earned an at-large bid to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships.
• Ahmed posted the team's top individual record in the fall at 11-4, which included going 4-1 against nationally ranked players. Two of her other losses came against newcomers who ranked as the No. 1 and No. 4 newcomers in the country.
• Along with her sister Rana, Maiar reached the finals of the Jack Kramer Invite and finished the fall with a 7-3 record.
• Also back is Sophie Watts who finished the 2014-15 season with a 34-6 record overall and a perfect 21-0 record in dual matches.
• Ranked No. 85 after the conference tournament, Watts earned the Mountain West's bid to the NCAA Singles Championship where she topped No. 36 Romy Kolzer in the first round, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
• Watts was ranked as high as No. 31 during the season.
• During the summer, the 'Dogs added 2015 Big Sky Player of the Year, Galina Bykova, to their roster for this season.
