Sports

Coogs face Rice in long-awaited match

By Emily Davis
The Daily Cougar

UH is going to try it one more time. After rain postponed the much-anticipated arrival of the Rice tennis team on March 22, the Cougars get a chance for one final shot against their crosstown rival. 

Nathan Lindstrom/The Daily Cougar

And the timing couldnit be better.

Fresh off a 5-2 upset over Texas Tech on Saturday, UH (10-8, 1-2 in Conference USA) is at the top of its game and ready for whatever the Owls have cooked up for todayis match at 2 p.m. on the John E. Hoff Varsity Tennis Courts.

"We are as prepared as ever to play Rice," head coach Jennifer Hyde said. "This is the last game of the season. Weive learned what we can from a year of tennis. Weire ready."

Todayis game marks the end of an eight-game home stretch and regular-season play for the Cougars. 

UH will travel to New Orleans on Thursday for the first round of the C-USA Tournament.

"Although itis (tomorrow) I canit even begin to speculate as to what we can expect for conference," Hyde said. "On any given day, anything can happen."

The team proved that theory when it overcame nationally ranked Tech in a rowdy match on Saturday. UH showed all who cared to watch exactly what it was made of.

Not only did freshman Miranda Foley upset a top-100 player in three sets (6-2, 1-6, 7-5) and Yolandi Terblanche whiz past her opponent in two sets (6-3, 6-1), but Sarah Flood and Karine Urbin paired up for a No. 3 doubles win, 7-6, 6-3.

But Rice is not a team that bows out quietly. Rival factor aside, the Owls (8-11) are in desperate need of a win after a 5-2 loss Sunday to Western Athletic Conference foe Southern Methodist. 

Rice has lost six out of eight since beating Texas-El Paso 6-1 more than a month ago.

"We can take our win (against Tech) with us and go into the game against Rice pumped up," said senior Ani Longoni, who won in two sets, 7-5, 6-1. "We always play. No matter what, we are out there to take care of business."

If Riceis Annie Goodrich has any say in todayis outcome, the Cougars might find taking care of business a little difficult. Goodrich was the only Owl to win in singles and doubles on Sunday, giving her team its only two points of the afternoon.

"These girls are going to put on their war paint and go into battle," Hyde said. "It is going to be a close match and definitely a fight to the end."

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