Northwestern
Kentucky vs. Kansas State
'Cats Open NCAA Tournament Play at Home Friday
5/9/2018 1:46:00 PM | Women's Tennis
| NORTHWESTERN WOMEN'S TENNIS: GAME DAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | VIDEO | LIVE STATS |
| Fri., May 11 | Kentucky vs. Kansas State | Noon | Vandy Christie Tennis Center; Evanston, Ill. |
NUsports.com (indoor only) |
NUsports.com (indoor) SIDEARM (outdoor) |
| Fri., May 11 | Buffalo | 3 p.m. | Vandy Christie Tennis Center; Evanston, Ill. |
NUsports.com (indoor only) |
NUsports.com (indoor) SIDEARM (outdoor) |
| Sat., May 12 | Friday's winners | Noon | Vandy Christie Tennis Center; Evanston, Ill. |
NUsports.com (indoor only) |
NUsports.com (indoor) SIDEARM (outdoor) |
| Social: Twitter (@NUWildcatTennis) | Instagram (@nuwildcattennis) | Facebook NCAA Tournament Central • NCAA Tournament Bracket |
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern makes its 23rd consecutive NCAA tournament appearance this weekend when it host three other schools for the opening two rounds of competition.
Northwestern (21-5) opens up against Buffalo (17-3) at 3 p.m. Friday following the noon match between Kentucky (14-10) and Kansas State (14-10). The winners of Friday's contests square off at 12 p.m. Saturday with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line. Action will take place at Vandy Christie Tennis Center. In the event of inclement weather, matches will be played indoors at Combe Tennis Center.
The Wildcats are the No. 14 overall seed in the tournament field and are making their 29th overall appearance.
Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $4 for youth 18 and under, college students and senior citizens over 55. Northwestern students with a valid Wildcard will be admitted free of charge. All seats are general admission, and tickets can be purchased at the entrance. Gates will open one hour prior to the start of the first match each day.
The first and second rounds will be played May 11-13 at 16 regional sites around the country. The final four rounds are set for May 17-22 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on the campus of the Wake Forest University.
Northwestern has qualified for the national tournament in every season dating back to 1996, including all 20 seasons in which they've been lead by head coach Claire Pollard. The Wildcats have advanced to at least the Round of 16 12 times during the current stretch. NU has played in the national quarterfinals three times. This is the first time the 'Cats are serving as a host site for the opening two rounds since 2014.
Northwestern is led by senior Erin Larner who is ranked No. 37 in the nation in singles by the ITA. She is joined in the singles national rankings by senior Maddie Lipp (78) and junior Lee Or (121). In doubles play, the team Larner and Lipp boast a No. 4 national ranking while Or and Chatt are ranked No. 36. Larner, Lipp and Or each are All-Big Ten selections this season. Larner became just the seventh player in school history to earn All-Big Ten honors all four years.
NU went undefeated in Big Ten play this season, posting a perfect 11-0 record to claim the outright regular-season title. It is the Wildcats' 13th Big Ten regular-season title under Pollard and the 17th time that the school has won either a regular-season and/or tournament title under her leadership.
Since starting the dual match season 3-3, Northwestern has won 18 of its last 20 matches.
Scouting Buffalo
The Bulls (17-3, 8-0 MAC) are making their second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and third overall after topping Miami (Ohio), 4-2, to win the Mid-American Conference tournament. Buffalo enters the NCAA tournament with a 14-match winning streak, tied for the second longest active streak in the nation. The Bulls have won 41 of their last 45 singles matches played over the previous eight matches. Buffalo lost, 4-0, to Ohio State in last year's NCAA tournament. This will be the first meeting between Northwestern and Buffalo.
Scouting Kentucky
The Wildcats (14-10, 6-7 SEC) return to a Big Ten site for the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year after competing in Ann Arbor, Michigan, each of the last three seasons. Kentucky is in the NCAA tournament field for the fifth straight season and the 25th time overall. The Wildcats are making their third trip to Evanston for the NCAA tourney, falling to Northwestern, 4-1, in the second round in both 2001 and 2009. First-team All-SEC selection Mami Adachi is a two-time All-American doubles while playing alongside the since graduated Aldila Sutjiadi. Northwestern leads the all-time series between the schools, 10-1, including posting a 4-0 win Jan. 26 in Lexington as part of ITA Kick-Off Weekend.
Scouting Kansas State
The Wildcats (14-10, 4-5 Big 12) are back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003 and the fourth time in school history. Kansas State earned an at-large bid despite having dropped its last five matches, all against ranked opponents. Maria Linares paces the team with a 13-6 singles record, primarily at the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Northwestern leads the all-time series between the schools, 3-1, but Kansas State won the only NCAA tournament matchup, 4-1, in a first-round matchup May 10, 2003 in Evanston.
