NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers women's tennis team (5-5, 2-2 Southland) looks to get back over .500 when they take on the Incarnate Word Cardinals (3-11, 0-4) on Friday at the University Tennis Center. First serve is at 12 p.m.
By the time the Privateers will hit the court on Friday, 13 days will have elapsed from their last match, a 7-0 win over Oral Roberts on Mar. 15. It was the first time the Privateers had a clean sweep of an opponent this season, and the first since Apr. 18, 2013 when New Orleans swept Jackson State 7-0.
Yasmine Rashad has won four of her last five singles matches while playing mostly at the 6 position. Rashad is 5-3 overall in singles play this season and 3-1 in three-set matches. Despite having a winning record in singles, Rashad has only won the first set twice this season.
Anna Segarra Rius continues to remain unblemished in singles play. Rius is 9-0 while playing as high as the 2 position in the rotation this season. During the year, Rius has only lost two sets to opponents. Rius will lead a Privateers squad that will face Incarnate Word for the first time in school history.
The Cardinals lost two matches on the weekend, both by the score of 5-2. Last Friday, Incarnate Word lost a non-conference match at home against Texas-Pan American. On Sunday, the Cardinals fell in Hammond to Southeastern. On the season, the Cardinals have one win against a Division-I opponent (Prairie View A&M).
Andi Botha is the lone Cardinals player to have won matches against conference competition. Botha has played mostly at the 4 position after starting the year as the Cardinals' No. 3. Botha has taken singles wins against Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern.
The match is slated to begin at 12 p.m.
