April 18, 2008

Manhattan, KS (UWIRE) -- Coach Steve Bietau said he has a few simple goals for the Kansas State University women's tennis team this weekend.

With two matches against Iowa State at home on Friday and at Nebraska on Sunday, the Wildcats could significantly improve their ranking before the Big 12 Conference Tournament. Anything else will likely keep K-State in the conference cellar and force the Wildcats into a tougher first-round match-up.

Bietau said he hopes to see the same hard work out of his Wildcats that he has seen all year.

"We've been getting stronger in doubles and singles - doubles is probably a little bit ahead," he said. "I'd like a continuation of our past efforts. But we need to have a tough-minded mentality that says we're here for business."

A break from the Big 12's stiffest competition finally has arrived in the form of Iowa State. The Cyclones (4-12, 0-9 Big 12 Conference) have dropped 10 of their last 11 matches. The Wildcats also own a 17-match winning streak over the Cyclones.

The story is different against the Huskers (15-5, 4-5). Senior Imke Reimers and sophomore Wiveca Swarting lead Nebraska in singles play with records of 19-7 and 18-5 respectively. Reimers and freshman Jana Albers lead the doubles effort with a 15-3 mark.

Bietau said the team could see better results, even if its performances are the same.

"We made some improvements last weekend, but the teams were strong enough that it didn't translate into results," he said. "This week is a different story - you need to sustain and win."

An effort similar to the one the Wildcats posted in doubles against Texas might be sufficient. Senior Olga Klimova and junior Katerina Kudlackova topped the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's No. 21 doubles team of Vanja Corovic and Marija Milic 9-7. Fellow senior Viviana Yrureta and sophomore Natasha Vieira were also victorious in their match over Stephanie Davison and Caroline Larsson 9-7.

The match against Iowa State will be the last home match for the two Wildcat seniors. Klimova, a four-year veteran from Brno, Czech Republic, has suffered knee injuries throughout her career, but that has not prevented her from posting a formidable doubles record. Over her career, Klimova has a 48-47 record in doubles play and an 18-10 record against Big 12 opponents. She also has recorded a 31-46 mark in singles play. Klimova said she still thinks about what could have been.

"I feel like I've been injured so much," she said. "I feel like I haven't accomplished everything I wanted to. Looking back, I think I improved a little bit and the last match at Texas, it was a good point of my career beating a school like that in doubles. I wish my career would be longer than four years."

Yrureta has only had two full seasons with the Wildcats. She began her career at Central Florida, where she never played in a match as a freshman. After transferring to K-State in 2005, the Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, native was injured most of her sophomore year. As K-State's No. 1 singles player for most of this year, she has a 33-39 singles record in her collegiate career. In doubles play she has a 32-45 record with a variety of partners.

Bietau said he will need the seniors and underclassmen to perform well for a victory.

"Normally we talk about a complete performance, but we haven't had much like that," he said. "The freshmen have done a good job but it's the end of the year, and it's time for them to step up. The vets are a little more proven with what's going to happen. I want a complete sustained match by six players."

The Wildcats' home finale will begin at 3 p.m. Friday at the Washburn Tennis Facility at Peters Recreation Complex.

(C) 2008 Kansas State Collegian via UWIRE