Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Sports

Netters face C-USA foes in final weekend roadtrip

by MARK SUAREZ
THE DAILY COUGAR

The No. 70 ranked Cougars (14-3) have accumulated a 4-3 road record and look to improve that mark on their upcoming 3-match road trip. 

Houston is set to embark on its final road trip of the season, beginning with New Mexico State (10-6) on Friday at 2:00 pm. The Cougars will then travel to El Paso for a Saturday match against Conference USA rival University of Texas — El Paso (6-11) at 11 a.m. at the El Paso Tennis Club. 

On Sunday, the Cougars will remain in El Paso for their match with C-USA foe No. 52 Southern Methodist University (12-5). First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m.

New Mexico State (10-6) has won 4 of its last 5 matches, including a 5-2 win over Hawaii in its last outing on March 21. The Aggies will enter Saturday's contest with Houston fresh off a 7-day layoff and will look to build on its current 2-home-game winning streak at Houston's expense.

"We're going to treat New Mexico State as any other team," Severance said. "They want to beat us at their own facility and we want to go in there and take a win from them so I give them all sorts of respect; we're not going to overlook them."

The UTEP Miners have lost 4 of their last 5 matches. Recently, the Miners fell to C-USA opponent Central Florida, 7-0, on March 25, dropping their Conference record to 1-1. They will play the SMU Mustangs on Friday before matching up with the Cougars on Saturday.

Currently, SMU is the highest ranked team in C-USA. The Mustangs have won 5 of their last 6 matches and will play UTEP on Friday and New Mexico State of Saturday before meeting the Cougars on neutral ground at the El Paso Tennis Club. 

The Cougars will enter the weekend with a 2-0 Conference record. They are currently tied with East Carolina University and SMU for most conference wins. 

"We're facing two conference opponents on the road and in years past we have had some real tight matches with UTEP," Severance said. "SMU is the highest ranked team in our Conference right now so this weekend is a very important weekend for all of us. 

It's going to be a very tough weekend and we're going to have to come up big."

Send comments to dcsports@mail.uh.edu