Big Ten season begins for netwomen at home

This weekend the Penn State women's tennis team opens its Big Ten season with two matches at the Penn State Indoor Tennis Center. At 10 a.m. tomorrow the Lady Lions take on Michigan State, and then at 1 p.m. Sunday face a tough early season challenge against No. 49 Michigan.

While the Lady Wolverines are ranked 49th, take into consideration that there are over 300 Div. I tennis teams in the country. Nevertheless, they should provide the Lady Lions with a significant challenge this weekend.

The task is even more formidable considering the 1-2 Penn State squad is coming off a 2-18 season last year, and two of its top players, Alison Barnett and Pilar Montgomery, are redshirting this year.

Putting up a fight, though, will be the Lions' top doubles team of Rebecca Ho (also the top singles player) and Martina Kopacova. They'll have the unenviable chore of taking on Danielle Lund and Brooke Hart of Michigan, the 32nd-ranked doubles team in the nation. Ho and Kopacova have been on a tear of late, however, as they've won their last seven matches.

-- by Chris Sorley