Feb. 14, 2008

By Brett Maikowski, Tennis Contact

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Redhawks women's tennis team will open their 2008 season on Saturday when they travel to Columbia to face their in-state rival Missouri at the Green Tennis Center at 9 a.m. The Redhawks will also face defending Horizon League champion Illinois-Chicago on Sunday beginning at 9 a.m.

Southeast's team, which was picked to finish ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference this year, will be led by seniors Bryce and Drew Kristal. Junior Julia Masotti and sophomore Elise Nattier are returning for their third and second seasons, respectively. Along with the four returnees, sophomore Alyce Kelly and freshman Taylor Orahood will join the Redhawks as newcomers. This season will also mark head coach Mark Elliott's second season with Southeast as he led the Redhawks to an 11-14 record last season.

The Redhawks lineup for the match will feature Bryce Kristal, who was voted fifth in the OVC preseason rankings, playing No. 1 singles, while her sister, Drew, will compete in the No. 3 match. Masotti will compete in the No. 2 spot and Kelly will start the year at the No. 4 spot. Rounding out the lineup is Nattier and Orahood in the No. 5 and 6 slots.

In doubles, the Kristal sisters will compete in the No. 1 doubles team, which led the Redhawks with 15 wins last season. Masotti and Kelly will make up the No. 2 team and Nattier and Orahood will compete as the No. 3 doubles team.

Missouri is on a five-game winning streak and remains undefeated at home this season after defeating Xavier and Chicago State by identical 6-1 scores last weekend. Freshmen Maureen Modesto and Mallory Weber go into Saturday with singles records of 14-5 and 11-5, respectively. In doubles, Weber and Chrissy Svetlic are ranked No. 43 in the nation with an 8-2 record this season. Last season, Missouri finished 8-13 overall with a 3-8 record in the Big 12 Conference.

UIC is 1-1 this season after falling to Bowling Green by a score of 6-1 and defeating Toledo, 4-3, last weekend. Kristen McPhillips, a sophomore transfer from Miami (Ohio) will compete against the Redhawks as well after posting a 1-1 record last weekend.

Southeast continues its season-opening road trip on Feb. 23 with a neutral site match against NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney in Lincoln, Neb., starting at 11 a.m.