Note: The match was moved from its originally scheduled 2 p.m. to 1 p.m.
NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans women's tennis team will face their toughest test of the season when Mississippi State pays a visit to the University Tennis Center on Friday at 1 p.m.
UNO is off to a 7-1 start and has won five straight since falling 5-4 to Middle Tennessee on Feb. 11. The Privateers have not conceded more than three matches to an opponent since the setback, which stands as the lone defeat in five home duals this season.
During the current campaign, the combined results of the singles' players on head coach
Burzis Kanga's squad is 41-7 with the doubles' tandems possessing a 20-4 mark.
Through the team's eight dual matches, three members of the UNO roster are undefeated in singles' action.
Juliet Labarthe and
Fanny Benincasa both possess 8-0 records with Labarthe winning all of her matches at the No. 3 position, while Benincasa has split time at the No. 4 and No. 5 courts.
Sofija Karalic rounds out the group with a 3-0 record in limited action at the No. 4 position.
In doubles' action, Benincasa and Labarthe are unscathed with an 8-0 record while holding down the No. 2 court with
Manuela Gomez and
Marta Sans playing at No. 1 with a 6-2 mark.
MSU (5-7) enters Friday's dual following a 4-3 win over No. 52 Tulane on Tuesday.
The victory over the Green Wave snapped a four-match losing skid for the Bulldogs, who entered the dual with six of their previous losses coming against nationally-ranked opponents.
MSU is led by Alexandra Perper, who is ranked No. 115 in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings. Perper is 9-3 on the season with all three defeats coming against players ranked in the top 30 by the ITA.
Following Friday's match, the Privateers will continue their eight-dual homestand against Central Oklahoma on Wednesday, Mar. 21 at 12 p.m.
