No. 65 Jayhawks Set to Complete Homestand Hosting Iowa State, West Virginia

THE BASELINEKansas will continue its five-match homestand when it plays host to Big 12 Conference foes Iowa State and West Virginia. KU moved up to No. 65 in the latest ITA rankings, its highest of the 2014-15 season. The 65th-ranked Jayhawks welcome Iowa State on Friday, March 20 for a 3:30 p.m., match at the Jayhawk Tennis Center and will then host West Virginia, Sunday, March 22 at noon. 
THE SERIES: KANSAS vs. IOWA STATEKansas leads the all-time series with Iowa State, 40-3. The Jayhawks have won the last three match-ups between the two programs, including the last meeting in 2014 when KU dominated the Cyclones, 6-1, in Ames. The stellar doubles duo consisting of junior Maria Jose Cardona and senior Maria Belen Luduena are the only returners from last season who have faced Iowa State. The pair took down Iowa State doubles pair Meghan Cassens and Ana Gasparovic 8-6. The tandem also each left Ames with singles victories that day, Cardona having defeated Cassens, 6-2, 3-6, 1-0, and Luduena defeating Gasparovic, 6-1, 6-0.   
SCOUTING THE CYCLONESIowa State enters Friday’s match at Kansas with a 6-8 overall mark. The Cyclones opened Big 12 Conference play March 13, with a 4-3 win over West Virginia. The Cyclones opened the 2015 dual-match season with a shut-out win over Omaha followed by both a win and a loss at the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series. Iowa State then dropped four-consecutive matches including a 2-4 loss to Big 12 rival Oklahoma. Iowa State has won three out of its last four matches and are led by senior, Meghan Cassens who boast the best singles record on the team at 9-4 in the No. 3 position. She is assisted by sophomore Samantha Budai who when paired with senior, Ksenia Pronina have recorded the best doubles record on the team having gone 7-4 at the No. 1 position thus far on the season.
THE SERIES: KANSAS vs. WEST VIRGINIAKansas leads the all-time series with West Virginia, 2-0. The Jayhawks have taken each of the two matches against the Mountaineers since they joined the Big 12 Conference, including a 7-0 win in Morgantown in 2014. Again, Cardona and Luduena each won their singles matches against WVU and paired up for a doubles win for KU in 2014.  
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERSWest Virginia enters the weekend as one of the most improved teams in the NCAA. The Mountaineers are currently 9-4 overall in 2015 after posting a 3-18 overall mark a season ago. WVU is 0-1 in Big 12 action, having dropped a 4-3 decision to Iowa State in its conference opener. Sophomore Kaja Mrgole leads the way at No. 1 singles with a 9-3 overall mark, while freshman Carolina Lewis is undefeated, a perfect 10-0, while playing on courts five and six.