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TEMPE – The No. 22 Sun Devil women's tennis team (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) travels to Stillwater, Oklahoma, for a couple of dual matches against ranked opponents for the first time this season, starting with the hosts and reigning Big 12 champion Cowgirls (3-0, 0-0 Big 12) Friday at the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center.
"It's exciting," coach Sheila McInerney said. The kickoff was instituted about five years ago and it's basically like a mini NCAAs. We always try to pick a good regional and we have Oklahoma State on the first day and either TCU or Mississippi on the second day, so it's a chance to play two ranked teams. Whoever wins both games advances to national indoors and that's always a goal for teams early in the year."
The Sun Devils and Cowgirls have met five times before with their last matchup coming in 2015 when OSU eliminated ASU from the NCAA tournament in a match played in Stillwater, 4-3.
All four teams enter with at least one match in the win column as the Sun Devils took down Northern Arizona 7-0 a week ago, and OSU (3-0), Mississippi (2-0) and TCU (1-0) all defeated their opponents on opening weekend.
"NAU was a big confidence builder for the kids, but we know coming into this weekend the competition more comparable to the competition we faced in Michigan a couple of weeks ago," McInerney said. "It's nice to get a win under their belts and they know it's going to be tough this week, but that's sort of what you come to Arizona State for: to play the good teams."'
It will be the same six from the NAU match that will make the trip to the Sooner State for the Devils, led by No. 83 Savannah Slaysman and unbeaten Lauryn John-Baptiste.
"Lauryn came back after losing the first set to who I think might be NAU's best player, but winning the second set convincingly and taking the match-breaker was a big boost for her," McInerney said.
The kickoff weekend begins Friday in Stillwater. The time has not yet been determined, but the Sun Devils and No. 15 Cowgirls' match will be live streamed on okstate.com/watchtennis and live results will be available on the Oklahoma State website.
Rankings Update
After handling the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona in the home-opener a week ago, the Sun Devil women's tennis team jumped two spots to No. 22 in the ITA's latest poll.
Despite being the 4-seed this weekend in Stillwater, the Devils are the second-highest ranked team taking the hardcourt at Oklahoma State with the Cowgirls coming in at No. 15 and Mississippi and TCU placing 23 and 24, respectively.
Stanford still reigns supreme over the conference and the nation, coming in at No. 1 for the third consecutive week. California (11) and UCLA (16) are the other ranked opponents in the Pac-12 ahead of ASU.
Individually, the Sun Devils have two women ranked in the ITA top-125 with Savannah Slaysman leading the charge at No. 83. Senior Kelley Anderson checked in 10 spots later at No. 93.
The Road to 500
Sun Devil head coach and American tennis legend Sheila McInerney has been the epitome of consistency and success, having made 30-straight NCAA tournaments, all while at ASU.
She is the joint-longest tenured coach in school history, and is closing in on yet another career milestone with the Sun Devils: 500 career wins.
The stellar record can be attributed to a consistent run of 12-straight seasons with records above .500, and only two losing seasons since she was handed the reigns in 1985.
McInerney entered 2018 with 495 dual match wins, winning 63 percent of her matches since 1985, and moved to 496 with the win over Northern Arizona in the opening week. She is currently sixth on the list for most wins by a coach in ASU history, and 14 wins away from the top-five.
Fantastic Freshmen
The 2018 version of the Sun Devils is a young one with three freshmen expected to play pivotal roles in ASU's success this season, and so far they have stepped up to the challenge.
Lauryn John-Baptiste has led the way for the freshman group, getting off to a hot start to singles play by rolling through the Michigan Invitational undefeated and winning her singles match against Northern Arizona last weekend.
Slovenia's Sasa Klanecek dropped her first two matches of the season, but has won her last two and has two doubles wins on the season with senior Nicole Fossa Huergo.
Although the duo of freshman Tereza Kolarova and Savannah Slaysman fell in the squad's dual match opener, ASU's No. 28 doubles duo already has a win this season over another top-25 opponent from the Michigan Invitational in early January.
Kolarova also recorded the first singles point of the season for the Sun Devils against Northern Arizona as she took care of her opponent on court five 6-0, 6-1.
TEMPE – The No. 22 Sun Devil women's tennis team (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) travels to Stillwater, Oklahoma, for a couple of dual matches against ranked opponents for the first time this season, starting with the hosts and reigning Big 12 champion Cowgirls (3-0, 0-0 Big 12) Friday at the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center.
"It's exciting," coach Sheila McInerney said. The kickoff was instituted about five years ago and it's basically like a mini NCAAs. We always try to pick a good regional and we have Oklahoma State on the first day and either TCU or Mississippi on the second day, so it's a chance to play two ranked teams. Whoever wins both games advances to national indoors and that's always a goal for teams early in the year."
The Sun Devils and Cowgirls have met five times before with their last matchup coming in 2015 when OSU eliminated ASU from the NCAA tournament in a match played in Stillwater, 4-3.
All four teams enter with at least one match in the win column as the Sun Devils took down Northern Arizona 7-0 a week ago, and OSU (3-0), Mississippi (2-0) and TCU (1-0) all defeated their opponents on opening weekend.
"NAU was a big confidence builder for the kids, but we know coming into this weekend the competition more comparable to the competition we faced in Michigan a couple of weeks ago," McInerney said. "It's nice to get a win under their belts and they know it's going to be tough this week, but that's sort of what you come to Arizona State for: to play the good teams."'
It will be the same six from the NAU match that will make the trip to the Sooner State for the Devils, led by No. 83 Savannah Slaysman and unbeaten Lauryn John-Baptiste.
"Lauryn came back after losing the first set to who I think might be NAU's best player, but winning the second set convincingly and taking the match-breaker was a big boost for her," McInerney said.
The kickoff weekend begins Friday in Stillwater. The time has not yet been determined, but the Sun Devils and No. 15 Cowgirls' match will be live streamed on okstate.com/watchtennis and live results will be available on the Oklahoma State website.
Rankings Update
After handling the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona in the home-opener a week ago, the Sun Devil women's tennis team jumped two spots to No. 22 in the ITA's latest poll.
Despite being the 4-seed this weekend in Stillwater, the Devils are the second-highest ranked team taking the hardcourt at Oklahoma State with the Cowgirls coming in at No. 15 and Mississippi and TCU placing 23 and 24, respectively.
Stanford still reigns supreme over the conference and the nation, coming in at No. 1 for the third consecutive week. California (11) and UCLA (16) are the other ranked opponents in the Pac-12 ahead of ASU.
Individually, the Sun Devils have two women ranked in the ITA top-125 with Savannah Slaysman leading the charge at No. 83. Senior Kelley Anderson checked in 10 spots later at No. 93.
The Road to 500
Sun Devil head coach and American tennis legend Sheila McInerney has been the epitome of consistency and success, having made 30-straight NCAA tournaments, all while at ASU.
She is the joint-longest tenured coach in school history, and is closing in on yet another career milestone with the Sun Devils: 500 career wins.
The stellar record can be attributed to a consistent run of 12-straight seasons with records above .500, and only two losing seasons since she was handed the reigns in 1985.
McInerney entered 2018 with 495 dual match wins, winning 63 percent of her matches since 1985, and moved to 496 with the win over Northern Arizona in the opening week. She is currently sixth on the list for most wins by a coach in ASU history, and 14 wins away from the top-five.
Fantastic Freshmen
The 2018 version of the Sun Devils is a young one with three freshmen expected to play pivotal roles in ASU's success this season, and so far they have stepped up to the challenge.
Lauryn John-Baptiste has led the way for the freshman group, getting off to a hot start to singles play by rolling through the Michigan Invitational undefeated and winning her singles match against Northern Arizona last weekend.
Slovenia's Sasa Klanecek dropped her first two matches of the season, but has won her last two and has two doubles wins on the season with senior Nicole Fossa Huergo.
Although the duo of freshman Tereza Kolarova and Savannah Slaysman fell in the squad's dual match opener, ASU's No. 28 doubles duo already has a win this season over another top-25 opponent from the Michigan Invitational in early January.
Kolarova also recorded the first singles point of the season for the Sun Devils against Northern Arizona as she took care of her opponent on court five 6-0, 6-1.