Northwest Wayne News

Wayne State University's women's tennis team, ranked 16th nationally, is set to begin its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play against Saginaw Valley State University on March 29. The match will take place at the Greater Midland Tennis Center, which is also the venue for the upcoming GLIAC Tournament.

The Warriors currently hold a 9-5 overall record and have won three out of four road matches this season. In the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II rankings released on Wednesday, Wayne State dropped from 11th to 16th position. Despite this decline, they remain the only GLIAC school in the top 50.

Anais Ruyssen and Marta Komar lead Wayne State's individual rankings. The duo ranks eighth in doubles due to their strong performance together. Ruyssen is positioned at 17th in singles, while Komar improved her ranking significantly from 64th to 52nd within a week.

Wayne State recently split a two-match home stand, losing narrowly to Tiffin before defeating Oakland University with a decisive score of 7-0. Key players such as Komar, Martyna Szpakowska, and Dea Gorgidze contributed straight-set victories against Oakland.

Saginaw Valley State holds an even record of six wins and six losses ahead of their encounter with Wayne State. They started their conference games last weekend with victories over Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State. Historically, Wayne State has dominated Saginaw Valley State, winning 23 out of their last 24 meetings since October 2002.

The Cardinals' roster includes Tara Erler and Adriana Barrio, who are ranked No. 41 in doubles nationally. The team is coached by Interim Head Coach Terry Hicks alongside Assistant Coach Kevin Schultz.