By Brian Roe, Sports Writer

After a successful run through Kentucky, the women’s tennis team is looking to continue its strong play when the team faces Texas Tech and Eastern New Mexico this week.

Texas Tech will be a very tough opponent. The men’s team already played against the Red Raiders earlier this spring and lost all its matches. Texas Tech will provide yet another solid, experienced opponent for the Lady Wildcats to match-up against.

“We have a real tough schedule,” sophomore Rachel Taylor said. “But we are getting really good practice in by playing all of these Division I schools. It is going to help a lot when it comes time to play other Division II rivals.”

The women have already faced a phenomenally tough schedule so far this spring. ACU has played some of the top schools in the nation: Kentucky, Texas Tech and Tulsa.

Coach Hutton Jones said the tough season is often overlooked because tennis is not always in the spotlight.

“I’ll be the first one to admit that tennis is not the first sport you read about in the headlines everyday,” Jones said. “But imagine what a big deal it would be if a celebrated school like Florida State came to play the ACU football team; it would be a huge deal.”

Playing an SEC team is certainly a strong step forward for the ACU tennis program. In fact, Kentucky was so impressed with the ACU women, the university invited the Wildcats to compete Kentucky’s fall tournament.

“That was such a compliment,” Jones said. “He was impressed with our team because it doesn’t do any good to play weaker opponents. Our girls did not quit. The points were tremendous. We rose to another level just getting to play those people.”

The Lady Wildcats will try to rise to that level again on Tuesday in Lubbock against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The ACU women also have four scheduled matches over spring break.