Friday, April 13, 2007
Sometimes the best medicine for a struggling team is a cupcake victory against a weak opponent. The problem for the Kansas tennis team is that their schedule isn’t exactly doing them any favors.
Ksenia Bukina, sophomore, returns a shot during a doubles match this Saturday. The women's tennis team lost to Texas 6-1 this weekend. This was the first conference match of the season.
After five straight losses, the Kansas Jayhawks will host No. 30 Colorado on Sunday. Colorado comes to town following two straight victories, while posting a 5-2 record in the Big 12 and 12-6 mark overall. Following a five-match slide, Kansas finds itself at 2-6 in the Big 12 and 4-13 overall.
The theme of the losing streak has been missed opportunities, and the Jayhawks missed a big one against Kansas State on Wednesday. After eight straight losses in the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions, junior Lauren Hommell and freshman Kunigunda Dorn ended the streak with a huge victory against Katerina Kudlackova and Olga Klimova of Kansas State at No. 2 doubles. But Kansas couldn’t capitalize, as junior Elizaveta Avdeeva and sophomore Edina Horvath fell at No. 1 doubles. Kansas State gained control of the match and went on to a 5-2 victory.
Hommell and Dorn do appear to be gaining chemistry, and that bodes well for a Kansas team that has had a laundry list of troubles on the doubles court.
“We’re getting better,” Hommell said after her doubles victory against Kansas State. “We’ve been playing well at practice, just getting to know each other’s game, and I’m feeling more comfortable with her in the matches.”
Hommell started the season paired with Dorn but also spent time playing doubles with sophomore Yuliana Svistun and junior Stephanie Smith.
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We’ve been playing well at practice, just getting to know each other’s game, and I’m feeling more comfortable with her in the matches.
-junior Lauren Hommell
Colorado sophomore standout Monica Milewski, ranked No. 42 in the country, is one reason why Colorado sits at fifth place in the Big 12. Milewski, the ITA/Central Region Rookie of the Year last year, has provided a solid No. 1 singles player for Colorado, boasting a 13-5 record and 5-2 in the Big 12.
Coach Amy Hall-Holt expressed her team’s dissatisfaction after the match.
“They’re tired of it,” she said.
The Jayhawks have persevered and tried to stay positive.
“We can’t get down on ourselves,” Stephanie Smith said earlier this week. “We have a desire to finish out the season strong.”
Kansas defeated Colorado twice last season, including a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in the 1st round of Big 12 Championships. An upset win against Colorado in its last home match of the season would do wonders for a teams that is desperately in need of a victory.
Kansan sportswriter Rustin Dodd can be contacted at rdodd@kansan.com.
— Edited by Kelly Lanigan
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