Spartans Set for Big Ten Home Opener This Weekend

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's tennis team returns home this weekend as they begin Big Ten play at home, with matches against Iowa and Nebraska. The team will host Iowa in their conference home opener on Saturday, March 16, with the match set to begin at 12 p.m. MSU will then take on Nebraska the following day on Sunday, March 17, at 12 p.m. Both matches will take place at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.

"I think last weekend not having a win was tough but from those moments, we'll just gain more experience, learn from it and be ready for this weekend," MSU head coach Kim Bruno said. "I have no doubt that we'll turn things around coming home here to kick off the main portion of our Big Ten season. It'll be huge for us."

The Spartans lead the series history with the Cornhuskers, 4-2, while the Hawkeyes lead 29-16.

Last season, the Spartans upset the No. 21-seeded Cornhuskers, 4-2, on the road on March 16. Senior Emily Metcalf clinched the match for MSU with a three-set victory at No. 5 singles.

Iowa won the last meeting in a close-match, 4-3, on March 18.

The Spartans look to bounce back this weekend after dropping both matches last week in Las Vegas. The team fell to UNLV in a close match, 4-3, on March 8, and San Diego, 6-1, on March 10, bringing their season record to 9-6.

Senior Davina Nguyen, Metcalf, freshman Lauren Lemonds and junior Samantha Memije all had singles wins over the weekend.

Memije defeated her first ranked opponent of the season, with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 91 Aiwen Zhu of UNLV at No. 1 singles. Memije is 8-2 in singles matches this season and 4-1 at first singles.

The duo of freshman Lauren Lemonds and Nguyen picked up doubles wins in both matches, including a 6-2 win versus Daniela Morales and Maria Tyrina of San Diego at No. 2 doubles. Lemonds and Nguyen are 4-2 in doubles and have won three-straight.

The Spartans continue Big ten play next weekend as they host Wisconsin on Friday, March 22, at 12 p.m. before traveling to Indiana on Sunday, March 24, with the match set to begin at 5 p.m.