TEMPE – After a successful opening weekend for Sun Devil Women's Tennis (2-0, 0-0 Big 12), the team travels east to take part in ITA Kickoff Weekend taking place in Chapel Hill, N.C. and facing off against Wisconsin on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST/2 p.m. EST, and will play Sunday in either the championship match at 12 p.m. MST/2 p.m. EST or the consolation match at 8 a.m. MST/10 a.m. EST.
The matches will be streamed on Goheels.com/watch and live stats for the matches can be found here. The winner of the Chapel Hill regional will move on and play in the ITA Women's Team Indoor National Championships set for February 7-11 hosted by Northwestern and Illinois.
LAST TIME OUT:
In the season opener last Saturday against LMU, the team swept the Lions 7-0 and won every singles match in straight sets. Going 10-1 in the last 11 season openers for the Sun Devils. Later the team defeated UC San Diego 6-1, moving to 2-0 on the season.
SUN DEVIL OUTLOOK:
Arizona State (2-0)
OPPONENT OUTLOOK:
Wisconsin (0-0):
IN THE RANKINGS:
The Sun Devils boast three players in the top-100 in the latest ITA Rankings which came out in the fall, all are sophomores. Emilija Tverijonaite is ranked 24th in the country after being ranked No. 52 at the start of the fall season. Sara Svetac entered the top-50 and is ranked No. 47 entering the Spring. Lastly, sophomore Ada Piestrzynska is No. 97 in the country after going 6-4 in the Fall and going 7-5 in doubles. The Sun Devils are one of two teams (Oklahoma State) in the Big 12 to have at least three players ranked in the top-100 of the ITA rankings,
SUN DEVIL DEBUTS:
Karin Altori, Karsyn Evans and Lily Taylor all made their Sun Devil debuts last week in both victories against LMU and UC San Diego and all three went a perfect 2-0 in doubles and singles play. Evans, a transfer from Denver, went 14-2 in singles and 10-7 in doubles last season in her freshman season.
THREE SET STARS:
During the fall season the team showed its clutch gene by going 12-3 in three-set matches. Sara Svetac and Tverijonaite led the team in three-set victories with three wins apiece. Piestrzynska and Evans each had two wins during the fall season.
2024 Fall Record in 3-set matches
Karsyn Evans: 2-0
Aiya Nupbay: 1-2
No. 97 Ada Piestrzynska: 2-0
Patricija Spaka: 1-0
No. 47 Sara Svetac: 3-1
No. 24 Emilija Tverijonaite: 3-0
NEW CONFERENCE, WHO THIS?
The Sun Devils received votes in the ITA preseason poll announced on January 6, and were picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference in the preseason poll announced on January 7. The maroon and gold also picked up a first-place vote. In the first season competing in the Big 12, the Sun Devils boast a 98-23 record against current Big 12 competition.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Sun Devils will return to Whiteman Tennis Center next Saturday to take on No. 10 Pepperdine with the match starting at 12 p.m. MST.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
Continue to follow Sun Devil Women's Tennis on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest coverage this season. Fans can follow on live stats which can be found here.
The matches will be streamed on Goheels.com/watch and live stats for the matches can be found here. The winner of the Chapel Hill regional will move on and play in the ITA Women's Team Indoor National Championships set for February 7-11 hosted by Northwestern and Illinois.
LAST TIME OUT:
In the season opener last Saturday against LMU, the team swept the Lions 7-0 and won every singles match in straight sets. Going 10-1 in the last 11 season openers for the Sun Devils. Later the team defeated UC San Diego 6-1, moving to 2-0 on the season.
SUN DEVIL OUTLOOK:
Arizona State (2-0)
- The Sun Devils open the season 2-0 for the fourth-straight season and will aim to move to 3-0 under head coach Jamea Jackson with a win over Wisconsin.
- With two wins, the Sun Devils will attempt to qualify for the ITA Indoor nationals for the first since the 2021 season.
- Wisconsin will be opening their season against the Sun Devils and it marks the first meeting with the Badgers since 1995.
- ASU holds a 4-1 advantage over Wisconsin, with the last meeting coming in 1998.
- Patricija Spaka earned her 50th and 51st singles win as a Sun Devil, making her the 45th different player in program history to win 50+ singles matches.
- The Sun Devils have a 25-10 record over Big 10 opponents, and are looking for their third-straight win over a Big 10 school, defeating No. 7 Ohio State last year and Northwestern in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024.
- Three Sun Devils earned their first wins donning the maroon and gold: Karin Altori, Karsyn Evans and Lily Taylor.
OPPONENT OUTLOOK:
Wisconsin (0-0):
- It's the season opener for the Badgers, who are coming off a 19-7 season, while going 8-3 in Big 10 play.
- The Badgers defeated William & Mary in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, before falling to No. 2 North Carolina in the round of 32.
- The Badgers had a combined 14-15 record at the UT Invitational last weekend, however No. 3 Maria Sholokhova went a perfect 3-0 and defeated two ranked opponents.
- Sholokhova went 11-2 in the fall season, and competed in the NCAA doubles and singles championships in November.
- The Tar Heels suffered their first loss to No. 9 Virginia, however won their first three duals of the season without losing a match.
- North Carolina is coming off a 24-4 campaign and an ACC Championship in 2024.
- The Tar Heels have a 3-1 advantage over the Sun Devils, with their last meeting taking place in the ITA Indoor National Championship opening round in 2020.
- The Tar Heels boast three players inside the top-25 ITA rankings.
- UNC had two players appear in the Round of 16 and the doubles pair Carson Tanguilig/Susanna Maltby made it to the quarterfinals at the NCAA Singles and Doubles championships.
- The Crimson Tide suffered a season-opening loss 3-4 loss to Furman on Monday and will face No. 6 North Carolina on Saturday.
- Coming off a 15-11 campaign in 2024, Alabama lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against SMU.
- The Sun Devils hold a 2-0 advantage over Alabama, the last matchup taking place in 2010 in the ITA Consolidation round.
- The doubles pair Sara Nayar and Kiara Milicevic enter the spring ranked No. 97 in the ITA doubles rankings after going 8-1 in the fall and winning their opening match against Furman.
IN THE RANKINGS:
The Sun Devils boast three players in the top-100 in the latest ITA Rankings which came out in the fall, all are sophomores. Emilija Tverijonaite is ranked 24th in the country after being ranked No. 52 at the start of the fall season. Sara Svetac entered the top-50 and is ranked No. 47 entering the Spring. Lastly, sophomore Ada Piestrzynska is No. 97 in the country after going 6-4 in the Fall and going 7-5 in doubles. The Sun Devils are one of two teams (Oklahoma State) in the Big 12 to have at least three players ranked in the top-100 of the ITA rankings,
SUN DEVIL DEBUTS:
Karin Altori, Karsyn Evans and Lily Taylor all made their Sun Devil debuts last week in both victories against LMU and UC San Diego and all three went a perfect 2-0 in doubles and singles play. Evans, a transfer from Denver, went 14-2 in singles and 10-7 in doubles last season in her freshman season.
THREE SET STARS:
During the fall season the team showed its clutch gene by going 12-3 in three-set matches. Sara Svetac and Tverijonaite led the team in three-set victories with three wins apiece. Piestrzynska and Evans each had two wins during the fall season.
2024 Fall Record in 3-set matches
Karsyn Evans: 2-0
Aiya Nupbay: 1-2
No. 97 Ada Piestrzynska: 2-0
Patricija Spaka: 1-0
No. 47 Sara Svetac: 3-1
No. 24 Emilija Tverijonaite: 3-0
NEW CONFERENCE, WHO THIS?
The Sun Devils received votes in the ITA preseason poll announced on January 6, and were picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference in the preseason poll announced on January 7. The maroon and gold also picked up a first-place vote. In the first season competing in the Big 12, the Sun Devils boast a 98-23 record against current Big 12 competition.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Sun Devils will return to Whiteman Tennis Center next Saturday to take on No. 10 Pepperdine with the match starting at 12 p.m. MST.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
Continue to follow Sun Devil Women's Tennis on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest coverage this season. Fans can follow on live stats which can be found here.