Midwestern State vs Cowley County CC

Wednesday, March 2 – 1 p.m.
MSU Tennis Center (Wichita Falls, Texas)
All-Time Series: MSU leads 2-0

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State returns to play this week at MSU Tennis Center. On Wednesday, March 2, the Mustangs face Cowley County Community College. The match was originally scheduled for Feb. 23, but was moved due to weather conditions. First serve is set for 1 p.m.

ABOUT THE MUSTANGS

Midwestern State collected wins in their first two matches of the season against McMurry and Weatherford. The Mustangs then dropped the following three matches against top-ranked teams in Seward County CC, Tyler Junior College and No. 3 Central Oklahoma. MSU held on to their 22nd national ranking by the ITA.

Sophomore Skylar Minns leads MSU with a 4-1 record at the No. 6 singles spot. She started the season with three straight wins and lost in three sets to the NJCAA 29th ranked Yeva Kramarova. She recovered with a win against UCO's Blythe Buntrock. Minns is also 3-1 in doubles play at the third spot. She took the first victory with Hannah Yip and the second two with Sydney Williams.

Williams is also 4-1 from the No. 5 singles spot. The freshman won three straight matches and also dropped in three sets to TJC's Yeva Kononovych. She is 3-1 on the doubles side.

Anda Ghinga, who ranks ninth in the South Central Region, is 2-3 at the top singles spot. The sophomore won her first two tests against McMurry and Weatherford College, but has dropped three straight since. Ghinga and Emilija Visic are 2-3 at the tope doubles line.

Casie Curry holds a 2-0 record from the No. four spot in MSU singles play. The junior collected victories in the McMurry and UCO matches. At the second line, Curry is 2-1 in doubles with back-to-back wins against McMurry and Tyler JC.

Hannah Yip ranks seventh in the region for singles. The freshman holds a 2-3 record from the Mustangs' second line. On the doubles side, she played with three different partners including Minns, Curry and Ethne Dowling. Yip has a 3-2 overall doubles tally and is 2-2 at the second spot.

Kyndall Quiroz is No. 19 in the South Central Region singles rankings. The sophomore is 2-2 from the third singles line. She inked a big three-set victory over Kelly Arends of Tyler Junior College to claim Midwestern State's solo point of the match.

THE MAN IN CHARGE

Scott Linn enters his 12th season at the helm of the Midwestern State men's and women's tennis programs in 2021-22 after guiding the Mustangs to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances since arriving in Wichita Falls in the fall of 2010. The Mustangs have thrived under Linn's leadership as he revived the program to the highest level. Linn has directed the women's program to a 186-82 (.694) in his first eleven seasons on campus with nine NCAA Division II postseason appearances, reaching the round of 16 in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019 while making trips to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2015 and 2017.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

As of Feb. 3, Cowley County ranks third in the ITA NJCAA National Team Rankings after placing third at nationals in the 2020 season. The team is 3-4 in the spring season with wins over Drury, Eastern Arizona College, and Northwest Missouri State. CCCC took losses from St. Petersburg College, Washburn, Cameron and Missouri Western State.

Sophomore Isid Hernandez leads the Tigers at No. 6 in the ITA singles rankings. The Artemisa, Cuba, native was an All-American in 2020. She and No. 14 Ntokozo rank fifth in the doubles list.

Saara Kunakunova sits at No. 16 in the ITA rankings. The sophomore from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, is also a returning All-American who made it to the singles championship match in 2020.

No. 19 Camila Neyra and No. 21 Mariia Koroleva are sixth in the doubles ranks.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Midwestern State is 2-0 over Cowley County CC, with both matches taking place in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Mustangs beat the Tigers 7-2 in 2012. MSU took home a 6-1 victory in 2020 at MSU Tennis Center.

UP NEXT

Midwestern State has a full schedule for this upcoming weekend at MSU Tennis Center. On Friday, March 4, the Mustangs take on Southwest Baptist at 1 p.m. The following day, March 5, MSU faces Washburn at 10 a.m. and Northeastern State at 3 p.m.