@OspreyWTEN Hosts Kennesaw State and USC Upstate for First #ASunWTEN Home Matches

Thursday, March 26

Jacksonville, Fla.

10:00 a.m.

University of North Florida

Kennesaw State

@OspreyWTEN Hosts Kennesaw State and USC Upstate for First #ASunWTEN Home Matches

3/25/2015 1:51:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: North Florida Athletics

Live Scoring (Both Matches)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of North Florida women's tennis returns to its home courts with its first home Atlantic Sun Conference matches this weekend. The Ospreys host Kennesaw State on Thursday and then welcome USC Upstate on Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for a 10 a.m., start.

"It's nice to play these two matches at home after a long travel weekend," said head coach Audra Cohen. "Both Kennesaw State and USC Upstate have touch No. 1 players that compete well. It will be a good challenge and opportunity."

Saturday's match will also be the team's Senior Day with UNF recognizing four student-athletes. Marina Cunningham, Taylor Hollander, Rebeca Pereira and Esther Zuniga will each be honored for their contributions to the women's tennis program.

"As a coach, Saturday is a very special day because these are four players that have all grown up in this program," said Cohen, who is in her fourth season as the Ospreys' head coach. "Due to their hard work and dedication, Marina, Taylor, Rebeca and Esther will all leave here as strong, bright and accomplished young women."

Under Cohen, UNF has dominated its Atlantic Sun Regular Season results and are 26-1 in the last four years. Since suffering a 4-0 loss at ETSU on Mar. 22, 2013, UNF has rattled off 15-straight Atlantic Sun wins, nine of which have been shutouts.

UNF comes off a two-win, Atlantic Sun-opening road trip last weekend, defeating Lipscomb 4-0 on Thursday and Northern Kentucky 5-0 on Friday. Two Ospreys continued with their significant singles winning streaks with last week's matches. Zuniga has won her last eight completed matches, while Michelle Valdez is a perfect 11-0 during the spring dual season. Additionally, Quetzali Vazquez pushed her win total to 21 for the tournament and dual seasons.

Kennesaw State enters Thursday's match with a 1-9 record and has lost its last three completed matches. Among those three losses were a pair of 6-1 setbacks suffered against both Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson last weekend. Virginie Stein has been playing at No. 1 singles all spring and has four wins at that position.

USC Upstate has a 2-12 record and has dropped its last five matches. The Spartans also lost to both Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson last weekend and comes off a 5-2 setback to Charlotte on Monday. Isabel Von Stryk has been powering the Spartans on the No. 1 court, compiling a 10-4 record. Meanwhile, Nona Ruppert is 7-5 at No. 2 singles and has won her last three completed matches.

Admission is free for all UNF home tennis matches.