GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNCG women's tennis will look to get back on another win streak this Friday, competing in its third Southern Conference challenge of the season against Samford. A win over the Bulldogs would double the Spartans' SoCon wins in 2021, currently standing 1-1 in conference play on the year.
The Spartans started the year on a historic 4-0 run before experiencing their first loss of the season this past Saturday against Wofford, they maintain the highest win percentage in the SoCon so far this spring.
WHAT TO KNOW
Who: Samford
Where: Greensboro, N.C. | Piedmont Indoor Tennis Center
When: Friday, March 19 | 1 p.m.
MATCHUP HISTORY
• The Spartans are 3-6 against the Bulldogs going back to 2012, but are 2-2 when those matchups take place at home in Greensboro
• UNCG's most recent match against Samford came as a loss during the 2019 SoCon tournament, but the Spartans were victorious in the pair's last regular season meeting, defeating the Bulldogs 5-2 at home
THE SPARTANS
• Redshirt sophomore Hanna Giddings is yet to concede a singles match this season, going a perfect 5-0 as an individual in 2021. The Georgia-native has earned four wins while playing in the No. 3 seed and holds a 1-0 record at the No. 2
• The Spartans have taken a 1-0 lead in each of their past two matches, earning the doubles point against both Wofford and NC Central. Giddings and Tayah Cross are tied for a team lead with a pair of wins in doubles play, they are 1-0 when playing alongside one another
• Senior Brianna Gomez is second only to Giddings in singles wins on, going 4-1 in individual play. She's turned in a 3-1 record competing in the second seed and has a 1-0 record when facing an opponent's No. 1
THE BULLDOGS
• Samford has already competed in 16 regular season matches in 2021, holding a 9-7 record. They are led by junior Rouxanne Janse Van Rensburg, who is 10-4 in singles play this year. She has competed in Samford's No. 1 spot in all 14 matches she's played this season, with one of her four losses coming against Auburn's Selin Ovunc, who was ranked No. 62 in the nation at the time
• Janse Van Rensburg has teamed up with Alexis Lopez to gather seven wins in doubles play as well, playing all of their matches as the No. 1 pairing
COMING UP NEXT
The Spartans continue conference play on the road prepping for back-to-back contests at Chattanooga and Furman on the 21st and 26th. Those two matches kickoff a three-match road trip for UNCG before returning home against App State at the end of the month
#letsgoG
