Louisville Opens Dual Season Hosting Bowling Green and Miami

Sunday, January 20

LOUISVILLE, KY

11:00 a.m.

University of Louisville

BOWLING GREEN

Photo by: Jeff Reinking | Louisville Athletics

Louisville Opens Dual Season Hosting Bowling Green and Miami

January 14, 2019 | Women's Tennis

Cardinals start five-match homestand at the Bass-Rudd

By: Nancy Worley

The University of Louisville women's tennis team gets its spring season rolling with a home opening double-header with Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Jan. 20 at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center. The Cards first take on Bowling Green at 11 a.m. and finish the evening with Miami (Ohio) at 5 p.m.

UofL finished last season at 13-13, stringing together two 6-0 match-winning runs with the season highlight including its first ever win over Notre Dame and first road ACC win at Pitt.

Louisville is led by senior Sena Suswan and redshirt senior Aleksandra Mally. Other returners are juniors Raven Neely (6-2 in singles in 2018) and Anna Collins and sophomore Maya Smith. Coach Mark Beckham injected three newcomers in junior Diana Wong, sophomore Nikolina Jovic and freshman Dina Chaika.

Bowling Green comes to the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center after posting a 14-9 record last season. The Falcons reached the semifinals of the MAC conference tournament before falling to eventual champion Buffalo.

The 2019 edition of Bowling Green is upperclass-heavy with three seniors and a pair of juniors. Paula Comella (15-5 in singles last season) enters her final campaign after earning All-MAC honors the past three years. Polina Radeva (12-5 in singles last season) joined Comella last season on the First Team All-MAC.

For Miami, the RedHawks went 12-9 last season with an 8-1 record in conference. Miami entered the MAC conference tournament as the No. 2 seed, but also fell to Buffalo. The Bulls defeated the RedHawks 4-2 in the championship match.

The RedHawks must replace MAC Player of the Year in Nelli Ponomareva. Miami's lone senior is Emily Struble, who has 72 career singles wins. Struble is joined by six sophomores who all logged court time last season.

Miami was selected to finish third in the MAC preseason poll while Bowling Green is slotted at fourth. The RedHawks received one first-place vote.