Women's tennis set to open spring season

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Believing that the 2010 women's tennis team is "potentially the best we have had at Middle Tennessee since I've been here," Blue Raider coach Alison Ojeda will take her squad to Nashville Friday to play Belmont in the season opener. The match will be indoors at the Wildwood Club and will start at 4 p.m.

Ojeda, in her fifth year leading Blue Raider women's tennis, will put a young and inexperienced, though talented, team on the courts.

Senior Natalie Araya, along with four sophomores and a freshman, will take the court against the Bruins. Ojeda has not finalized her lineup yet, but has indicated that Araya, sophomore Marietta Bigus and freshman Yuiri Nomoto will play in the top three spots, while sophomores Taylor Coffey, Alex Dachos and Carla Nava, a transfer, will fill the rest of the singles positions.

Ojeda will likely pair Araya with Bigus as one doubles team and Nomoto with senior Anna Djananova as another tandem.

"Past that, we just don't know yet." said Ojeda.

Despite being a senior, Araya is in only her second year at MT, having transferred from Lee College prior to last year. Araya and Djananova were highly ranked in doubles at Lee College in Texas, but Djananova has had health issues the last 18 months. Although she is regaining her health and strength, her playing time may be limited this spring as she continues to recover.

Bigus, Coffey and Dachos all played against Belmont last spring as freshmen, but it will be the first spring outing for Nava and Nomoto as Blue Raiders.

Middle Tennessee holds a 7-0 series record against Belmont, including a 5-2 win last spring. The Raiders will open the home season on Feb. 5 against Chattanooga at the Nashboro Village indoor facility.

Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter @MTAthletics for continued updates.