BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team will have a very busy weekend at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center. The Hokies host East Tennessee State on Saturday at noon and play No. 11 Tennessee and Liberty on Sunday at noon and 5 p.m., respectively.
Virginia Tech (2-1), ranked No. 54 in this week’s ITA national poll, had a successful opening week to the 2010 dual match schedule taking two of three matches. The Hokies opened with an easy, 6-1, win over Elon at home, before splitting two matches in Athens, Ga., at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Tech played well in a 5-2 loss to No. 4 Georgia on Friday then bounced back with a solid 5-2 win against No. 51 Georgia State.
The Hokies received solid play last week in the heart of the line up from Yasmin Hamza (Jr., Cairo, Egypt) and Shannon Betts (So., Newnan, Ga.). Hamza won all three of her singles matches and was particularly impressive in taking her No. 3 contests against Georgia and Georgia State, losing only four total games. Betts also won her three singles matches at the No. 4 position.
East Tennessee State (1-1) opened its season with a 7-0 win at Eastern Kentucky then narrowly lost a bid for an upset with a 4-3 defeat at No. 11 Tennessee. The Hokies and Buccaneers have not met since a 5-2 Tech win in Blacksburg during the 2006 season.
No. 10 Tennessee (4-0) won two home matches last weekend at the ITA Kick-Off Knoxville Regional defeating No. 30 Texas, 4-1, and arch-rival No. 21 Vanderbilt, 4-3. The Vols will take part in the ITA National Indoor Championships in Madison, Wisc. next week. Tennessee opened the year with 4-3 wins over No. 32 Illinois and East Tennessee State. The Vol lineup includes two nationally ranked players in No. 6 Caitlin Whoriskey and No. 51 Maria Sorbello. Tennessee will also have the No. 1 ranked doubles team in the nation in Natalie Pluskota and Whoriskey.
Liberty (1-3) opened the year with a 7-0 win over Morgan State, before dropping consecutive matches to No. 53 Old Dominion (0-7), West Virginia (2-5) and James Madison (2-5). The Flames are led by Jordan Jenkins, ranked No. 124 nationally and the reigning Big South Conference Player of the Week.
For updates on Virginia Tech women's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_WTennis).