The 67th-ranked women’s tennis team (10-10, 5-3 in MWC) will honor its seniors before facing off against Midwestern State University tonight at home for the final match of the season.
TCU is 7-0 all-time against the Mustangs and has only given up two points in the all-time series.
The Mustangs are ranked 30th in Division II, coming off a 7-0 win versus Texas Lutheran on Saturday. TCU comes off a weekend sweep against conference opponents Colorado State, Air Force and Wyoming in which it dropped only one singles match against all three teams.
Between singles and doubles play tonight, the team will honor seniors Maria Babanova, Idunn Hertzberg and Katariina Tuohimaa, who have each played for four years in TCU’s tennis program. Shalini Sahoo and assistant coach Roland Ingram also will be honored. Sahoo has already graduated and will not be returning for her final year of eligibility.
Ingram was the women’s coach for 19 years at TCU before turning the program over to current head coach Dave Borelli in 2002.
Borelli said he was glad the team’s seniors had the opportunity to play a last match at home.
“It’s an opportunity for the seniors to experience that one last shot here and kind of honor them for their four years,” Borelli said.
The match against Midwestern State was added specifically to allow the seniors a night to be recognized, Borelli said.
“I just felt for what they’ve accomplished over four years, it would be better to have them honored on an evening where there were more people that could be there,” Borelli said.
The team will give out free T-shirts, wristbands and pizza to fans in celebration of senior night, Borelli said.
Tonight’s match provides the team with practice before the Mountain West Conference Tournament begins April 27.
Babanova said tonight’s match was bittersweet for her but that she also felt confident about the matchup.
Babanova and Tuohimaa are 3-1 at the No. 1 doubles spot since becoming partners after a recent switch in the doubles lineup.
“I’m ready to move on, but I’m going to miss tennis a lot,” Babanova said.
No. 73 TCU vs. Div. II No. 32 Midwestern State University
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center
Free pizza, T-shirts and wristbands will be given to fans.