Michigan State University Athletics
Saturday, January 26
Chapel Hill, N.C.
9 a.m.
Michigan State University
vs
Princeton
Spartans Travel to North Carolina for ITA Kick-Off Weekend
1/25/2019 11:02:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. –The Michigan State women's tennis team hits the road for ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Spartans will face Princeton on Saturday, Jan. 26, with the match set to begin at 9 a.m. The team will then play either No. 3 North Carolina or VCU the following day, at 9:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Michigan State was selected as one of 60 elite women's tennis programs in the nation to play in this prestigious annual event. Selection was based off the final 2017-18 Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings.
Since the inception of the event 11 years ago, this will be MSU's third appearance, with the other three coming during the 2017-18, 2015-16 and 2008-09 seasons. This is the first time the Spartans have had back-to-back appearances in ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
"We're definitely moving the needle forward in terms of the team progressing consistently, year in and year out," head coach Kim Bruno said. "We're there now and we need to make the next step, which is going into Kick-Off and beating a team like Princeton."
Last season, Michigan State went 1-1 at ITA Kick-Off Weekend, as the team fell to No. 4 Georgia, 4-0, before defeating Furman, 4-0, the following day.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Michigan State and Princeton and the first meeting with either UNC or VCU.
"We had that big test last weekend and we had opportunities," Bruno said. "I think if we make a couple adjustments and play better tennis at the right moments, we'll walk away with a win in that opening round. There's no question that it's going to be very similar to what we just put ourselves up against, against Washington State."
The Spartans are coming off an opening weekend in which they went 1-1, falling to Washington State, 4-1, and defeating Montana, 7-0.
MSU was able to secure the doubles point in both matches over the weekend, backed by the duo of junior Samantha Memije and senior Davina Nguyen going 2-0 at third doubles.
Against Montana, MSU swept all six singles matches, as freshmen Maja Pietrowicz, Lauren Lemonds and Nicole Stephens had their first career singles wins in the Green and White.
Michigan State returns to East Lansing next weekend for the home-opener on Friday, Feb. 1 as the team hosts Xavier at 1 p.m. at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility. The Spartans will travel to Ann Arbor the following day to face in-state rival Michigan at 1 p.m. for the first Big Ten match of the season.
For more information on ITA Kick-Off Weekend, visit the ITA Kick-Off Weekend page.
Live video for the weekend will be available here.
Live scoring will also be available here.
Michigan State was selected as one of 60 elite women's tennis programs in the nation to play in this prestigious annual event. Selection was based off the final 2017-18 Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings.
Since the inception of the event 11 years ago, this will be MSU's third appearance, with the other three coming during the 2017-18, 2015-16 and 2008-09 seasons. This is the first time the Spartans have had back-to-back appearances in ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
"We're definitely moving the needle forward in terms of the team progressing consistently, year in and year out," head coach Kim Bruno said. "We're there now and we need to make the next step, which is going into Kick-Off and beating a team like Princeton."
Last season, Michigan State went 1-1 at ITA Kick-Off Weekend, as the team fell to No. 4 Georgia, 4-0, before defeating Furman, 4-0, the following day.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Michigan State and Princeton and the first meeting with either UNC or VCU.
"We had that big test last weekend and we had opportunities," Bruno said. "I think if we make a couple adjustments and play better tennis at the right moments, we'll walk away with a win in that opening round. There's no question that it's going to be very similar to what we just put ourselves up against, against Washington State."
The Spartans are coming off an opening weekend in which they went 1-1, falling to Washington State, 4-1, and defeating Montana, 7-0.
MSU was able to secure the doubles point in both matches over the weekend, backed by the duo of junior Samantha Memije and senior Davina Nguyen going 2-0 at third doubles.
Against Montana, MSU swept all six singles matches, as freshmen Maja Pietrowicz, Lauren Lemonds and Nicole Stephens had their first career singles wins in the Green and White.
Michigan State returns to East Lansing next weekend for the home-opener on Friday, Feb. 1 as the team hosts Xavier at 1 p.m. at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility. The Spartans will travel to Ann Arbor the following day to face in-state rival Michigan at 1 p.m. for the first Big Ten match of the season.
For more information on ITA Kick-Off Weekend, visit the ITA Kick-Off Weekend page.
Live video for the weekend will be available here.
Live scoring will also be available here.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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