The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Women's Tennis To Host No. 5 Texas
2/20/2001 | Women's Tennis
Feb. 20, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's tennis team will host its biggest non-conference opponent in years, when they take on the No. 5 University of Texas Longhorns, Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Gillom Sports Center.
Ole Miss, ranked No. 26 in the nation, comes into the match with a 5-3 overall record and looks to snap a three-match losing streak. The Lady Rebels are coming off a tough 6-1 loss to 13th-ranked South Alabama on the road, Sunday. In that loss, Mira Radu posted a solid win over two-time All-American Iva Puflerova.
Alesya Ignatieva leads the Lady Rebels with a 6-1 dual match record. She dropped her first dual match in the loss to South Alabama, taking two-time All-American Martina Ondrejkova to three sets.
Texas enters the match with a 3-0 record. The Longhorns picked up their third Big 12 Conference road victory in as many matches on Saturday, Feb. 17, when they downed Kansas 43. The Horns compiled a 24-6 overall record in 2000, won the Big 12 Conference regular season and tournament championships, advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Championships and finished the season ranked No. 8 in the WingspanBank.com ITA National team rankings.
Texas is led by senior Janet Walker, who is ranked No. 16 in the latest singles rankings. Juniors Vladka Uhlirova and Kaysie Smashey are currently ranked Nos. 63 and 95, respectively. In doubles play, Walker and Uhlirova are ranked No. 9 nationally, while the duo of Smashey and junior Rebekah Forney enter the rankings at No. 14.
Wednesday's meeting between the two schools marks the first time Ole Miss has faced Texas since a 6-3 loss in Oxford on Nov. 4, 1982.
