Women’s Tennis heads to NorCal for crucial PacWest stretch

After hosting its lone home matches of the season, followed by a three-week break, the Dixie State women's tennis team hits the road for a crucial Pacific West Conference stretch of five matches in six days, starting on Friday.

The Red Storm (3-8) open the trip at non-conference, Division III foe Mills College in Oakland, California, on Friday at 3 p.m. DSU then heads up the road on Sunday to Dominican in San Rafael, for the first of four PacWest matches on the trip. The Storm will take on BYU-Hawaii and Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont on Monday, then return to Oakland to close the trip at Holy Names on Wednesday.

PACWEST TOURNAMENT IMPLICATIONS: DSU heads to Northern California with hopes of improving its chances to compete in the PacWest Championships on April 14-16. The top 12 teams qualify for the tournament, making the upcoming stretch vs. PacWest foes a crucial one for the Storm.

LAST TIME OUT: The Red Storm fell, 9-0, to Cal State LA on February 26 at the Cal State LA Tennis Complex in Los Angeles.

DSU came closest to a point at No. 1 doubles, when sophomore Karolin Kukaras (Heidelberg, Germany/Internationale Gesamtschule Heidelberg) and freshman Lacey Hancock (St. George, Utah/Pine View HS) fell 8-5. Hancock battled at No. 2 singles, but eventually fell 6-4, 6-0 to Elizaveta Sokolova.

2016 ROSTER: Dixie State returns four players from last year's squad and looks to build on a 6-9 finish last season. Juniors Laura Hartle (Salt Lake City, Utah/East HS), Kaylee Tarver (Wrightwood, Calif./Serrano HS) and Samantha Yacano (Arvada, Colo./Arvada West HS) return alongside sophomore Karolin Kukaras (Heidelberg, Germany/Internationale Gesamtschule Heidelberg) to lead the way.

Hartle finished the 2014-2015 campaign with a 6-5 overall singles record and posted a 5-7 mark in doubles play. Kukaras earned third team all-PacWest honors last year, posting a 5-6 overall singles record and a 5-7 mark in doubles play. Tarver and Yacano did not compete last year, but are expected to contribute this season.

Joining the team this year are freshman newcomers Jenna Fosdick (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon HS) and Lacey Hancock (St. George, Utah/Pine View HS). Fosdick earned two varsity tennis letters at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah. Hancock was a four-time region and State 3A champion at Pine View High School in St. George.

NEXT UP: The Red Storm will close its regular season on at Southern Utah University on April 7.

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Players Mentioned

Laura Hartle: 5' 5"; Junior

Lacey Hancock: 5' 5"; Freshman

Samantha Yacano: 5' 5"; Junior

Kaylee Tarver: 5' 4"; Junior

Jenna Fosdick: 5' 6"; Freshman

Karolin Kukaras: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Laura Hartle
: 5' 5"; Junior

Lacey Hancock
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Samantha Yacano
: 5' 5"; Junior

Kaylee Tarver
: 5' 4"; Junior

Jenna Fosdick
: 5' 6"; Freshman

Karolin Kukaras
: 5' 8"; Sophomore