Friday, April 18, 2008
The lone star state has caused plenty of problems for the Kansas tennis team this season.
After falling to No. 3 Baylor and No. 73 Texas Tech two weekends ago, the team dropped matches at No. 21 Texas and No. 32 Texas A&M last weekend and fell to 0-4 against the state of Texas. Coach Amy Hall-Holt said the team met when they returned to Lawrence and talked about its need to play more aggressive down the stretch.
“We talked about how we need to get more aggressive and step up our game to the level we’re competing against, instead of shying away,” Coach Hall-Holt said. “I think the girls are responding well and they know they need to step up to another level.”
Elizaveta Avdeeva hits back a shot during a March 30, 2008 match against Oklahoma State at First Serve.
With a fifth place finish in the Big 12 still a possibility, the Jayhawks will have a lot at stake when they return to Lawrence to take on No. 67 Nebraska on Friday and Iowa State on Sunday.
Kansas hasn’t had the easiest schedule this season. When the Jayhawks take the court against the Huskers on Friday, it will mark the 13th time this year the team has competed against a ranked opponent. Coach Hall-Holt believes this season’s difficult competition has helped prepare them for this weekend’s home finale and the Big 12 Tournament.
“Once we go into Big 12’s we will have seen the teams and we’ll have a hunger to play them again,” Coach Hall-Holt said. “We want the chance to compete and to do some things that we needed to before. We’re ready to step forward and not back off this time.”
For senior Elizaveta Avdeeva there is more at stake this weekend than a possible fifth place finish in the conference. Avdeeva’s 21 career Big 12 doubles victories are the second most all-time in the school’s history. With two victories this weekend, she would surpass Julia Sidorova’s 22 career conference victories and move into first place all-time.
Avdeeva said that with both her current partner, junior Edina Horvath, and her ex-partner, Ksenia Bukina, she never thought about setting any type of record.
“We’re winning one match at a time, and I didn’t count how many matches we won but I guess it was quite a lot,” Avdeeva said. “I’m proud to be here and I’m excited about it.” Avdeeva who suffered an ankle injury against Texas Tech, wasn’t able to play in last Friday’s match against Texas, but was able to return to the lineup against Texas A&M last Sunday.
“She’s doing well. She is almost back to 100 percent,” Coach Hall-Holt said.
Kansas will need Avdeeva and the rest of the Jayhawks at full strength when they face the 67th-ranked Huskers on Friday at 2 p.m. in Lawrence.
—Edited by Nick Mangiaracina
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