Women's Tennis Opens Season With Matches at Alcorn State and Jackson State

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Privateers women's tennis team will kick off their spring season with a two-match weekend on the road. They will face the Alcorn State Braves on Friday then follow up with a trip to Jackson on Saturday for a bout against the Jackson State Tigers.
 
The women's team had a mixed bag of results in the fall. After a 3-0 performance at the Scramble on the Bayou, the Privateers had a couple of solid individual performances at the West Florida Invitational. New Orleans followed with a 1-3 performance at the George Forumaux Invitational where they lost all three matches by a 3-2 score.
 
"I was pleased with how they competed in challenge matches against each other," said Coach Burzis Kanga. "It's how six players are competing that determines a match. I think mentally we are in a good place and that's a big key for us."
 
Trang Dao enters as one of two seniors on the roster. The Vietnam native has 38 singles wins to her credit, sixth most in program history since 2000. With her first win of the spring, she will tie current assistant coach, Amber Garza for fifth place on the list.
 
Brittany Johnson also enters her final year on the Lakefront. The lone American on the roster, Johnson has 21 singles wins to her credit. She also has 15 doubles wins in her career. Last season, Johnson played at four different flights for the Privateers.
 
New Orleans is 9-1 against Alcorn State since 1996. Their only loss against the Braves came at the end of the 2011 season. The Privateers have never lost to Jackson State in 13 head-to-head matches in that same span.
 
Alcorn State has already faced a Southland foe. Their opening match of the spring was a loss to Stephen F. Austin. The Braves also lost to Southern Miss. They did not pick up a point in either match.
 
Jackson State also faced SFA with better success, snagging two points in a 5-2 loss. The Tigers are 1-3 this season with their lone win coming by a 4-3 decision against Florida A&M. They were also swept by Louisiana and Southern Miss.
 
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