Feb. 17, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University women's tennis team will conclude an early-season, three-match road trip Thursday at 2 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs travel to Starkville, Miss., for a non-conference showdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs to be held at A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.

Samford (4-1) heads into the match with a full head of steam after blanking Austin Peay 4-0 on Saturday in Memphis, Tenn. The Bulldogs' shutout victory occurred in the second half of a doubleheader held at the Wellworx Sporting Club. Earlier in the day, Samford dropped a 4-2 decision to Memphis; its only loss of the 2010 campaign.

The Bulldogs opened the season with a trio of dominant victories at home against Charlotte 7-0, Columbus State 6-1 and Jacksonville State 7-0.

Samford's sophomore from Windermere, Fla., Rebecca Kirven, has opened the 2010 spring campaign with a perfect 5-0 record in singles play and a 3-1 mark in the doubles competition. Since upsetting Charlotte's Candace Cunningham in the opening match of the season, 3-6, 7-5, 10-7, Kirven has earned four-consecutive, straight-set wins in singles play.

While competing with teammate Andrie Meiring in doubles play, Kirven has tallied a 3-1 record at the No. 2 position. The tandem's only loss occurred against Columbus State on Feb. 6. Columbus State entered the match as the eighth-ranked team in Division II.

Senior Stephanie Parkison enters Thursday's match with an impressive 4-1 record in singles play this season, while Lindsey Mallory, Andrie Meiring, Taylor Morgan and Madelie Janse Van Rensburg all boast 3-1 singles records.

Mississippi State (2-1) heads into the contest as the 58th-ranked team in the nation. The Bulldogs have defeated a pair of ranked opponents this season in No. 72 College of Charleston 5-2 and No. 57 Georgia State 4-1. Mississippi State's lone loss of the 2010 campaign was a 7-0 setback against the seventh-ranked Miami Hurricanes on Jan. 31 in Coral Gables, Fla.

MSU's top singles player this season has been Radka Ferancova. The Bulldogs' senior from Lucenec, Slovakia, owns a 2-1 record at the No. 2 singles position this year.

Following Thursday's showdown, the Samford women's tennis team will next be in action Saturday at 11 a.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs return home to Birmingham, Ala., for a non-conference matchup against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. Saturday's contest will be held at the Samford Tennis Center and will mark the beginning of a three-match homestand.