MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University women's tennis team opens its season at home this weekend with a pair of Sunshine State Conference matches.
The Buccaneers (4-0, 2-0 SSC) host Eckerd (0-3,0-3) at 10 a.m. Saturday in the home opener at Buccaneer Tennis Center. The big match comes the next day when Barry, ranked No. 1 in the South Region, squares off against Saint Leo, the No. 2 team in the South. Saint Leo enters the weekend with a 5-1 overall, 2-0 SSC record after upsetting Lynn last weekend.
Barry is ranked No. 5 in the nation. Saint Leo is No. 12. Barry's Linda Fritschken is ranked No. 19 nationally in singles. Saint Leo's Laura Kemkes is ranked No. 18. Barry's doubles team of Fritschken and Isabela Miro is ranked No. 18. Saint Leo's doubles pair of Adrianna Daszkiewicz and Emily Singleton is No. 25.
"I think the girls are excited to compete against some good teams in our conference," Buccaneers assistant coach Maria Lopez said. "This is what we prepare for. It's good to see that the teams in our conference are getting stronger."
The Buccaneers men's team will also play Eckerd (0-3, 0-3 SSC) at 10 a.m. Saturday. Ranked No. 3 in the South Region, Barry (4-0, 3-0 SSC) meets No. 5 Saint Leo (4-2, 1-1 SSC) at noon Sunday. The Bucs are ranked No. 4 in the nation. Saint Leo is ranked No. 12.
Barry's Marco Mokrzycki is ranked No. 7 in the nation in singles. Fabian Groetsch is No. 16. Saint Leo's Aloua Adjenak is ranked No. 21. Matt Nicholson-Lewis is ranked No. 29, and Victor Lozier is No. 35. Mokrzycki and Groetsch are the No. 2 doubles team in the country. Saint Leo's Lozier and Nicholson-Lewis are No. 7.
All fans attending the men's matches can enjoy free hamburgers and hot dogs Saturday and Sunday.
"It's great because we can finally play at home," Lopez said. "It'll give them a good taste of what they'll see throughout the year."