No. 69 DePaul Closes Out Regular Season This Weekend
DePaul hosts Marquette on Saturday and celebrates Senior Day at the conclusion of Sunday's match with USF
April 13, 2012
CHICAGO – The No. 69 DePaul women’s tennis team is poised to keep its three-match winning streak going when it hosts BIG EAST Conference rivals Marquette and No. 40 USF this weekend at Lakeshore Sport and Fitness.
The Blue Demons play the Golden Eagles on Saturday at 1 p.m. and close out the weekend on Sunday when they host USF at Noon. Following Sunday’s dual with the Bulls, the Blue Demons will celebrate the careers of Cali Gustafson and Gia McKnight.
The Blue Demons (13-6, 4-1 BIG EAST) are looking to close out the season with a perfect record on their home courts – already defeating Cleveland and Chicago State while also recording wins over No. 36 SMU and Cincinnati this season. Since McKnight and Gustafson joined the Blue Demon squad in 2008, DePaul has owned a 23-2 record on its home courts.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Blue Demons have combined for a 120-79 singles record while every player has recorded double-figure singles wins. Patricia Fargas leads the team with her 25-11 records, while both Kelsey Lawson and McKnight are looking to break into the 20-win mark as they both enjoy a 19-14 singles record.
Marquette (11-9, 4-3 BIG EAST) has dropped four of its last five matches heading into the weekend.
DePaul and Marquette are meeting for the ninth time in as many seasons. The Blue Demons have won eight of those matches while the Golden Eagles topped DePaul, 4-3 in 2008. The Blue Demons won the 2009 dual 7-0 while they also picked up shutout victories in 2006 and 2005. Last season DePaul defeated Marquette 4-3 in Milwaukee.
USF (14-7, 3-0 BIG EAST) will play at No. 19 Notre Dame before making the short trip to Chicago for Sunday’s matinee. The Bulls are the seventh ranked team DePaul has faced this season and the second on its home court.
Heading into their final two home matches of their careers – McKnight and Gustafson will always be remembered for being part of DePaul’s 2010 team which made the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Demons have also reached the championship dual at the BIG EAST Championship in 2009 and 2010, while last season they advanced to the semifinals.
Gustafson has combined for 93 doubles and singles victories throughout her four seasons and has registered double-digits singles wins in her last two seasons.
McKnight has been part of three nationally ranked doubles pairs. Last season she teamed with Selma Salkovic and reached as high as No. 31 and also partnered with current graduate assistant coach Katarina Milinkovic and was ranked as high as No. 55. This season, McKnight has paired with Jasmin Kling and the duo enters the weekend at the No. 74.
McKnight enters the weekend with an 88-58 singles mark and is 85-58 in doubles action.
Following this weekend’s duals the Blue Demons prepare for the BIG EAST Championship which will be played at the USF Varsity Courts, April 19-22.
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