BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University women's tennis team will face its third straight in-state rival Saturday at noon (CST) as the Bulldogs travel south to Troy for a key nonconference matchup against the Troy Trojans to be held at the Lunsford Tennis Complex.
 
Samford (4-1) enters the contest with a full head of steam after earning a 4-1 home victory over Jacksonville State on Wednesday.
 
With their recent triumph over Jacksonville State, the Bulldogs extended their home winning streak to four-consecutive matches. The in-state contest was held at the Samford Tennis Center.
 
With cold and rainy weather surrounding the area Wednesday, the teams played indoors as Samford remained undefeated at home. Both coaches agreed to play the singles competition first and the Bulldogs earned four victories to take the team win.
 
Samford breezed to a quick 2-0 lead over Jacksonville State as both Kristin Lewis and Emily Mallory coasted to identical 6-0, 6-0 wins over their Gamecocks' counterparts on courts No. 1 and No. 4. True freshman Sarah Gail Niebur then extended Samford's advantage to 3-0 with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph against Kelly Tomlin in the No. 6 singles contest.
 
In the clinching match of the night, the Bulldogs' Stephanie N'tcha rallied from behind to tally a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win in the No. 2 singles contest. With her victory, N'tcha improved to 4-0 on the year and secured Samford's 4-1 team win over Jacksonville State.
 
Troy (3-3) heads into Saturday's contest pumped up about playing at home for the first time this season.  
The Trojans played their first six matches of the year on the road and are coming off a 7-0 loss at No.60 Auburn on Wednesday. Two of the Trojans' three losses this season have come against ranked opponents. Troy also fell to No.38 Florida State to open the spring, 6-1.

The Trojans have been getting solid play out of two newcomers this season as Hannah Toro and Anja Cosovic have posted solid results. Toro has registered a 3-2 record at No. 2 singles, including a three-match winning streak before having to retire due to injury against Auburn. Cosovic has gone 4-2 in singles play this spring, all at the No. 4 position.
 
Last season, Samford and Troy squared off in Birmingham and the Bulldogs earned a decisive 6-1 non-conference triumph held at the Samford Tennis Center.
 
The Bulldogs won the all-important doubles point last year and then received quick straight-set victories in singles play from Madelie Janse Van Rensburg, N'tcha, Rebecca Kirven, Lindsey Mallory and Jessica Diamond. With its five wins in singles, Samford secured the lopsided 6-1 team victory.
 
In the doubles competition, the Bulldogs were victorious on courts Nos. 1 and 2. Samford's tandem comprised of Lewis and Lindsey Mallory knocked off the nation's 89^th-ranked duo of Lyubov Dorofeeva and Karoline Grymel, 9-7, in the No. 1 doubles contest. The win was the Bulldogs' first doubles triumph against a ranked opponent in 2012.
 
On court No. 2, Samford's pairing of Kirven and Janse Van Rensburg held off Troy's feisty combination of Gabrielle Veiga and Samya El Hsissen, 8-6.
 
Following Saturday's match versus Troy, the Samford University women's tennis team will next be in action Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs return home to the Samford Tennis Center for a highly-anticipated matchup versus cross-town rival UAB.