#21 Midwestern State (0-0) vs. Central Oklahoma (4-2)
Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 | 10 a.m.
MSU Tennis Center | Wichita Falls, Texas

#21 Midwestern State (0-0) vs. Nebraska-Kearney (3-1)
Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 | 3 p.m.
MSU Tennis Center | Wichita Falls, Texas

#21 Midwestern State (0-0) vs. #9 St. Mary's (4-0)
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 | 11 a.m.
Southlake Tennis Center | Southlake, Texas


WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State opens up the 2017 season Friday and Saturday with a three-match slate against Central Oklahoma, Nebraska-Kearney and No. 9 St. Mary's.

The Mustangs play host to Central Oklahoma Friday at 10 a.m. before facing Nebraska-Kearney in a 3 p.m. match at the MSU Tennis Center. Midwestern then travels to Southlake to take on No. 9 St. Mary's in an 11 a.m. meeting Saturday at the Southlake Tennis Center.

MUSTANGS RANKED NO. 21 TO BEGIN 2017
- Midwestern State cracked the top 25 in the 19th-straight national poll Wednesday with the Mustangs appearing at No. 21 in the Oracle/ITA Women's Division II National Team Rankings
- The Mustangs have been ranked inside the top 25 since Apr. 2013
- MSU remained at No. 21 in the national rankings after also coming in 21st in the country in the fall rankings released in November
- The Mustangs continued to stay at third in the South Central Region rankings behind No. 9 St. Mary's and No. 17 Cameron while appearing in front of three nationally-ranked programs in No. 37 St. Edward's, No. 40 Dallas Baptist and No. 43 Tarleton State
 
A LOOK AT THE MUSTANGS
- Midwestern State returns three letterwinners from its 2016 regional finalist squad in junior Amy Clifton and sophomores Eirini Kontaki and Greta Lazzarotto
- The Mustangs also welcome a pair of Division II transfers in junior Daria Panferova (Moscow, Russia/Northeastern State) and sophomore Maddy Coffman (Flower Mound, Texas/Dallas Baptist)
- MSU also boasts three true freshmen on the squad this season with Bianca Duff (Geelong, Australia), Anna Claire Gerletti (Cypress, Texas) and Ashley Ramirez (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
- Duff earned a national ranking of No. 19 in the fall after advancing to the ITA South Central Regional final
- Duff ranks second in the regional rankings while Kontaki comes in 11th after posting a 15-11 singles record playing at No. 2 last season for the Mustangs
- In doubles, Clifton and Kontaki rank fourth in the regional rankings following a regional quarterfinal appearance in the fall

SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
- Central Oklahoma enters the weekend with a 4-2 record on the season with both losses coming to nationally-ranked opponents in No. 40 Dallas Baptist (5-4) and No. 43 Tarleton State (7-2)
- UCO ranks seventh in the Central Region following an 18-10 season that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament
- The Bronchos are led by sophomore Alli Hodges who ranks No. 43 in the nation and fourth in the Central Region in singles with a perfect 6-0 record at the No. 1 position this season
- At No. 2, sophomore Kirtana Bhat has also posted a perfect 6-0 record to rank 15th in the region
- In doubles, Hodges and Bhat sport a 2-2 record at the top spot for eighth in the regional rankings
 
SCOUTING THE LOPERS
- Nebraska-Kearney carries a 3-1 record into Friday's match with a 3-0 slate against Division II competition this season
- The Lopers are ranked fifth in the Central Region following an appearance in the 2016 NCAA Tournament with an 18-7 record
- Junior Amanda Alvarez is the lone player to earn a regional ranking for UNK, sitting at ninth in the region with a 2-2 record playing at No. 3 singles
- Freshman Ana Royo and junior Emma Neil both carry 4-0 records playing at No. 2 and 4 singles, respectively
- In doubles, Royo and sophomore Camryn Parnell are 3-1 at the top position while Alvarez and Neil are undefeated at No. 3 doubles
 
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
- St. Mary's sports a perfect 4-0 record on the season including a 6-3 victory over then-No. 9 Northeastern State back on Feb. 9
- The Rattlers are ranked ninth in the nation and sit atop the South Central Region after finishing 21-4 with a national quarterfinals appearance in 2016
- Sophomore Ally Maciel claimed the ITA South Central Regional last fall to earn a No. 6 national singles ranking while topping the regional rankings
- Maciel is 4-0 playing at No. 3 this season while senior Camille Clausse-Pujo has recorded a 2-2 mark at No. 1 for seventh in the region and junior Kaylin Kruseman is 4-0 at No. 2 for sixth in the rankings
- Junior Tyra Timm carries a 3-1 record playing at the No. 4 line for 16th in the region
- In doubles, Timm and sophomore Hannah Petersen are ranked sixth nationally and first in the region after winning the regional tournament last fall
- Kruseman and Clausse-Pujo also crack the national rankings at No. 19 in doubles
- In the dual season, Kruseman and Timm have posted a 4-0 record playing No. 1 while Clausse-Pujo and senior Mariela Sarinana are also undefeated competing on court three
 
LOOKING AHEAD
- Midwestern State next travels to Bolivar, Mo., to square off against Northwest Missouri State and No. 11 Southwest Baptist (Mo.) next weekend at the John A. Bryant Tennis Center
- MSU begins the weekend Friday at 1 p.m. against Northwest Missouri while taking on Southwest Baptist in a noon matchup Saturday