Highly-ranked Commodores on tap for young Blue Raider squad

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's young women's tennis team will travel to Nashville, Tenn., Sunday where it will face No. 14 Vanderbilt at Noon in a rescheduled match from earlier this season.

"We have had a good start to the season but know we will be challenged Sunday," first-year head coach Melissa Schaub said. "We have to come ready and focused, as we have all year, and I have no doubt that we will."

The Blue Raiders are coming off a 6-1 victory against Murray State Friday in which they swept the doubles point and captured wins in five of the six singles matches. Each of the top-three singles positions have started well, mirroring the team's overall record at 4-1. Sophomore Yuiri Nomoto, the Feb. 9 Sun Belt Player of the Week, junior Marietta Bigus and junior Carla Nava comprise the top-half of the lineup.

In doubles action, Middle Tennessee picked up its first sweep of the campaign against the Racers. Like singles, the No. 1 and 2 slots have also posted 4-1 marks thus far, although different tandems have been featured.

Vanderbilt, the second nationally-ranked foe on the early Blue Raider slate, is 5-2 on the year after a 4-3 setback at No. 8 Michigan Sunday. The Commodores' singles records are strongest in the bottom half of the lineup, although they carry a 6-1 ledger at the No. 3 position. Each of the No. 4 through 6 spots have garnered at least two more victories than losses in the early going.

Likewise, the No. 2 and 3 doubles positions are also 6-1 through the team's first seven matches.

In singles, VU features five players who received spots in the latest Campbell/ITA Top 125 rankings, released Monday, highlighted by Alex Leatu at No. 69. Three doubles pairings are also ranked in the Top 80 duos with Lauren Mira and Erica Robertson holding the top recognition at No. 21.

Sunday's match will be the first of two straight for the Blue Raiders against SEC competition, as they will next travel to Oxford, Miss., Friday to play Mississippi.

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