MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women’s tennis team opens the 2010 schedule Saturday morning when the Jaguars take on North Florida at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts.

First serve is schedule for 11 a.m.

“I’m excited to get the season started,” said head coach Jaco Keyser. “We’ve been playing well in practice and it will nice to see how well we transfer that into matches. North Florida is always a competitive team and we’ll have to be ready. All in all, the girls are excited to play.”

North Florida comes into the weekend with a 3-0 record and has dropped just one point in those matches. The Ospreys blanked UTEP and Iowa State before defeating South Carolina State 6-1.

The Jaguars had a successful fall campaign with junior Katie Welch (Mobile, Ala.) claiming a flight win at the Blue & Gray Classic. It was her only action of the fall before an injury kept her out of the lineup. Redshirt freshman Marie Boura (Paris, France) went 2-1 at the ITA Regionals in Auburn, Ala.

“They’ve been having great practices,” said Keyser. “They’re being thrown into the deep end right now, but ability-wise they’re more than capable of playing high in the lineup. It will be a great experience for them in the next couple of months.”

The newcomers to the lineup are sophomore Chané Hines (Johannesburg, South Africa), a transfer from Kentucky, and freshman Jess Courtnell (Newcastle, England).

“Once again I’m curious as to how practice will translate into the matches,” said Keyser. “It would be ideal to play them lower in the lineup but competition will make them stronger.”

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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