The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Belmont
Women’s Tennis Back Home to Host Belmont
2/10/2023 | Women's Tennis
Rebels Look to Remain Unbeaten at Home Against the Bruins on Saturday
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OLE MISS (3-2, 0-0 SEC) v. Belmont (2-4, 0-0 OVC) Saturday, Feb. 11 • 1 p.m. CT • Oxford, Miss. William F. Galtney Indoor Tennis Center |
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OXFORD, Miss – After a two-match road trip, the Rebels return home for a five-match home stand. Ole Miss women's tennis will start with Belmont on Saturday, February 11, starting at 1 p.m. CT in William F. Galtney Indoor Tennis Center.
Live scoring and live video for both matches will be available to the public. Links to both can be found above as well as on the Ole Miss women's tennis schedule page.
SERVICE LINE
- The Rebels and Bruins will face off for the first time in Ole Miss recorded history (since 1998).
- Ole Miss is 3-0 at home to start for the season for the second straight year.
- The Rebels are 27-19 on Saturday matches in the last eight seasons. The match against Belmont is the first Saturday match of the season.
- The team is locked down at No. 5 singles, not losing one in four matches at that position (4-0)
- Lillian and Kelsey are 3-0 at No. 2 doubles in dual matches. Overall, they are 5-3 as a duo.
- Ludmila Kareisova remained ranked in the latest ITA Singles Rankings, announced on February 8, at No. 107
- Tennessee State doubleheader was rescheduled for February 25. Match times will be announced at a later date.
- Kennesaw State match on February 24, has been cancelled.
OLE MISS REBELS
Lillian Gabrielsen (Sr.) – Oslo, Norway
- Compiled a 10-8 overall singles record and a 6-6 overall doubles record
- Her and Kelsey Mize are 3-0 together to start the season
- Made into the ITA Fall National Championships in singles as the South Region runner-up
- Reached the round of 16 in doubles at the ITA South Region Championships in 2021
Ludmila Kareisova (So.) – Liberec, Czechia
- Has a 7-7 singles record and 7-5 doubles record
- ITA South Region Championships doubles runner-up which earned a spot in the ITA National in 2021
Emma Kette (Fr.) – Rammelsbach, Germany
- Has a 4-3 singles record and a 2-1 doubles record (4-0 in dual singles)
- longest active singles win streak of four
- Joined the squad this January
- Coming in with an overall singles record of 12-9
Rachel Krzyzak (So.) – Milton, Ontario Canada
- Has a 1-5 singles and doubles record
- Compiled an 18-11 singles record and 15-15 doubles record during the 2021-22 season
Anaelle Leclercq-Ficher (So.) – La Perche, France
- Has a 3-7 singles record and a 5-4 doubles record
- Joined Kareisova during opening weekend for two doubles wins
- Reached doubles quarterfinals of ITA South Region Championships in 2021
- Voted SEC Freshman of the Year on March 2, 2021
Kelsey Mize (Sr.*) – Tulsa, Okla.
- Has an 9-9 singles record and a 7-6 doubles record
- Her and Lillian Gabrielsen are 3-0 together to start the season
- ITA South Region Championships doubles runner-up in 2021, advanced to ITA Fall Nationals
Reka Zadori (Jr.) – Szeged, Hungary
- Has a 10-9 singles record and a 56 doubles record
- Made it to the singles quarterfinals of the ITA South Region Championships in 2021
- Also reached doubles quarterfinals of ITA South Region Championships in 2021
LAST TIME ON THE COURT
- Ole Miss women's tennis traveled to Texas for two Big 12 opponents.
- The Rebels fell short in 4-3 loss to both Baylor and TCU.
- Ole Miss secured the doubles point against Baylor. In singles action the Rebels won at No. 5 singles and No. 6 singles.
- Against TCU, the Rebels fell behind 2-0 then won three straight singles matches at No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 singles.
- Emma Kette shines bright going 2-0 in singles matches. The freshman won in straight sets in both and was the first t- finish in loss to TCU.
- Lillian Gabrielsen was unstoppable in doubles with partner Kelsey Mize at No. 2 doubles. The duo went 2-0 and clinched the doubles point against Baylor.
MILESTONE MARKER
- Gabrielsen and Zadori earned their 10th singles win of the season during the road trip.
- Zadori is 14 wins away from 50 overall in her career and one from 20 dual wins.
- Kareisova and Leclercq-Ficher both grabbed their 20th overall doubles win with a 6-3 victory against Baylor's No. 1 doubles team.
- Gabrielsen is 10 doubles wins away from 50 in her career.
HEAD COACH MARK BEYERS
- Beyers is in his 22nd year coaching the Ole Miss women's tennis team.
- He has compiled a 273-232 record with Ole Miss and a 323-240 career record.
- Beyers earned ITA South Region Coach of the Year in 2010, 2012, and 2018.
- He has led the team to seven NCAA Second Round appearances and one Sweet 16 appearance.
- He coached the only Ole Miss NCAA Singles Champion, Arianne Hartono, in 2018, four Cosida Academic All-Americans, and 35 All-SEC players.
- Prior to Ole Miss, Beyers spent three seasons as the head coach of the women's tennis team at his alma mater Armstrong Atlantic State. The team captured the NCAA DII National Championship, posted a 50-8 record and won the Peach Belt Conference each year.
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE NET
Belmont
The Bruins lost some key players however retained six of their 10 players. It will be tough to replace the top of the lineup in senior Somer Henry and Freshman standout Gina Feistel. Henry went 9-10 in singles and 12-6 in doubles with fellow senior Peyton Lee, who will also not be returning. Feistel lead the team in singles wins with a 13-6 and compiled a 10-7 doubles record. The freshman was named OVC Co-Player of the Year and OVC Freshman of the Year, going 7-0 in conference play. The previously mentioned Lee was the only other Belmont player to tally double-digit singles wins. Lee tallied a 12-7 singles record and 12-6 doubles record.
Those returning for the Bruins saw some action last season but were in and out of the lineup. Graduate student Meredith Roberts and sophomore Anastasiya Zholdakova were the most consistent players in the lineup. Roberts went 7-9 in singles play and 8-7 in doubles. Zholdakova had a solid freshman campaign, going 9-5 in singles and 3-4 in doubles. Roberts needed a new doubles partner with the absence of Feistel and has found one in Zholdakova. Together, the two of them are 3-0 in doubles action. Abi Solomon, Taylor Trondson and Aly Getty will be leaned on to make a larger impact in 2023. Sophomore Viktoria Kliimand did well her first year with a 4-6 singles record and a 5-3 doubles record. She is off to a hot start this season, compiling a 3-0 singles record so far.
Belmont are used to plugging and playing first-year players. Mariia Hlahola is no different and has taken the challenge in stride. Hlahola currently leads the team in singles wins at four and just one loss. She is also 2-2 in doubles action.
FRESHMAN SINGLES SUCCESS
The Rebels have seen dual singles success come from their first-year players the last three seasons. Two years ago, Reka Zadori came onto the scene. The now junior went 9-4 from either the No. 5 or No. 6 position.
Last season was no different with three freshmen in Ludmial Kareisova, Rachel Krzyzak and Anaelle Leclercq-Ficher. Kareisova started 0-2 then turned it around to go 10-8. Krzyzak and Leclercq-Ficher started 3-1 in their first four finished matches. Leclercq-Ficher at one point was 6-2 then ended 8-5. Krzyzak finished the year with a team-leading 13-6 dual singles record.
Now in 2023, Emma Kette is 4-0 to start and looks to continue the trend.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Ole Miss women's tennis is 3-0 to start the season for the second-straight year. The team was 9-3 at home during the 2021-22 season, two of the losses against top-12 teams. The Rebels have a chance to extend the streak with their next five matches at home, including two matches against conference opponents.
Also at home, Ole Miss has won all three doubles points against ETSU, North Alabama, and Memphis. The Rebels have clinched the doubles point in the last four home matches dating back to last season.
CAN'T STOP KETTE
The freshman, who arrived the beginning of January, is undefeated in dual singles in the first five matches of the season. Emma Kette held down the No. 6 spot for her first three wins. She handled the move to No. 5 against TCU swimmingly as she won in straight sets to remain unbeaten.
Kette is not only 4-0, but she has yet to give up a set in her young dual singles career. She is also 2-1 in doubles with Reka Zadori as her partner.
BOTTOM ON TOP
The bottom of the Ole Miss singles lineup has the Rebels on a winning path. Zadori and Kette at the fifth and sixth positions are one and two on the team in dual singles wins. Zadori is 3-1 and Ketta is 4-0 to start the young season.
The two also teamed up at No. 3 doubles for a 2-1 record. The duo gave Ole Miss the advantage by winning their doubles matches first against ETSU and Memphis
WEEKLY HONORS
Player of the Week:
Mary Stoiana – Texas A&M Daira Kuczer – Tennessee
Freshman of the Week:
Kaitlyn Carnicella - Auburn & Rachel Gailis – Florida
DATE NIGHT
Fans who attend Saturday's match between the Rebels and Belmont can enter-to-win a date night as part of our Valentine's themed match.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also follow Coach Beyers on Twitter, @MarkBeyers.
Players Mentioned
