Women's Tennis Heads to Michigan State to Battle Spartans

Friday, February 1

East Lansing, Mich.

1 PM

Xavier University

Michigan State

Women's Tennis Heads to Michigan State to Battle Spartans

01.30.19 | Women's Tennis

By: Brandon Eckman, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier women's tennis continues the spring 2019 schedule on Friday, February 1, when the Musketeers head to East Lansing, Mich. to face Michigan State. The Musketeers and the Spartans are set to begin at 1:00 p.m.

THE OPPONENT: MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans finished last season with a 16-9 overall record and had a winning record of 7-6 in Big Ten Conference play.
Xavier fell to Michigan State last season, 0-4.
Michigan State will face two other BIG EAST opponents this season: DePaul and Marquette.
The Spartans are 2-2 on the season so far, defeating the University of Montana in the Harvard Invitational and VCU in the ITA Kickoff earlier this year.
Friday will be Michigan State's first home match of the 2019 season.

UP NEXT

The Musketeers head to Villanova, Pa. next Friday to face BIG EAST foe Villanova at 11:00 a.m.

LAST TIME OUT: INDIANA

Xavier picked up its second win of the season last Saturday, topping Indiana 4-0 on the road.
In doubles play, Hunter Roper and Rachael Reichenbach collected a 6-2 win in the No. 3 spot, while teammates Ahmeir Kyle and Emily Thomas secured a 6-4 victory in the No. 2 spot. Indiana defeated Sophia Abelson and Anna Letto in the No. 1 spot.
In singles play, Xavier's lead went to 2-0 following a two-set win for Kaitlin Ruether in the No. 6 spot, 6-1, 7-5.
Abelson improved Xavier's winning effort to 3-0 after a victory in the No. 2 spot, winning 6-4, 7-6, taking the second set with a 7-5 mark.
Reichenbach secured the victory for the Musketeers in the No. 4 spot after taking the first set, 6-3, then taking the tiebreakers 7-3 for a 7-6 win in the second set. This put Xavier up 4-0, giving the Musketeers their second win of the season.

KYLE CLAIMS WEEKLY AWARD

After the opening weekend of dual play, Xavier women's tennis sophomore Ahmeir Kyle was named the BIG EAST Tennis Female Athlete of the Week. Kyle went 3-1 in Xavier's opening weekend where the Musketeers split with Iowa and North Texas.
To open the session against Iowa, Kyle and partner Emily Thomas took the 6-3 win in the No. 2 doubles. In singles play, Kyle won the opening set in the No. 1 spot, 6-4, before falling in the final two sets in what would be a 7-0 loss for the Musketeers.
Against North Texas, Kyle, again partnered with Thomas in the No. 2 spot, won the set, 6-4, evening the score after Xavier fell in the No. 1 spot. The Musketeers would claim the No. 3 spot to take the doubles point.
In singles play, Kyle quickly put the Musketeers ahead 2-0, taking the No. 1 spot in two sets, 6-4, 7-5, for the first result in singles play. Xavier went on to win the match, 5-2.

THE MUSKETEERS

Xavier's roster is deep and balanced, featuring a number of upperclassmen, including a pair of seniors, Sophia Abelson and Zoe Manion, and a pair of juniors, Lauren Fitz-Randolph and Rachael Reichenbach.
The Musketeers also return a pair of talented sophomores who made an immediate impact during their freshman seasons, Ahmeir Kyle and Kaitlin Ruether.
Head coach Doug Matthews also added a four-person freshman class, Anna Letto, Natalie Moyer, Hunter Roper and Emily Thomas.
Xavier is 2-1 so far this season.

FALL HIGHLIGHTS

Xavier women's tennis opened up fall play at the Greater Cincinnati Invitational held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Returnees Lauren Fitz-Randolph and Kaitlin Ruether were joined by newcomers Anna Letto and Natalie Moyer for three rounds of singles and doubles play. Xavier's women collected 11 wins, with each of its four competitors going 2-1 in singles play, plus three doubles wins.
At the Purdue Invite, Xavier women's tennis collected four flight championships, including three singles flights and the Gold Doubles Draw championships. Kaitlin Ruether posted a 7-0 mark on the weekend, winning both her singles and doubles flights.
At the ITA Ohio Valley Regional, Xavier women's tennis collected 20 singles wins, the B-Flight Championship and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the main draw. Lauren Fitz-Randolph collected five of those wins on her way to winning the B-Flight, beating competitors from IUPUI, Tennessee, Memphis and Miami in two sets each on her way to the championship match of the 64- competitor bracket.
A the UC Tennis Pam Whitehead Invitational, Xavier women's tennis came away with the top two doubles finishes and a pair of team wins in the hidden dual format. Xavier fell to host Cincinnati, and picked up team wins over Chattanooga and Illinois Chicago. Xavier went 9-2 in doubles play and 11-9 in singles play.