Clemson Faces Rice in NCAA First Round Friday in Nashville

Match Information vs. Rice

What: 2016 NCAA Championships – First RoundWho: #31 Clemson (10-10) vs. #41 Rice (13-9)When: Friday, May 13, 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET)Where: Vanderbilt Currey Tennis Center, Nashville, Tenn.Live Stats: VUCommodores.com http://www.vucommodores.com/livestats/w-tennis/xlive.htmSocial: @ClemsonWTennis on Twitter

Clemson Notes:

• The Tigers are 10-10 on the season and are ranked 31^st in the nation according to the ITA poll released on May 5.
• Two Clemson singles players, senior Joana Eidukonyte (26^th) and freshman Ayan Broomfield (51^st), are ranked in the ITA singles poll.
• Broomfield was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year for 2016, while she and Eidukonyte were both members of the All-ACC Second Team.
• Eidukonyte and Broomfield were both invited to compete in the NCAA Singles Championships in Tulsa, Okla. on May 25-30.
• Three of the six players in the Tigers’ singles and doubles lineups are freshmen.

Clemson in the NCAA Championships Notes:

• This is Clemson’s 15^th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships, and the 24^th appearance in program history.
• The Tigers have reached the NCAA Round of 16, or better, ten times in the last 12 seasons, including in 2015, when the team fell to eventual national champion Vanderbilt in the Round of 16.
• Head Coach Nancy Harris has led the Tigers to 17 NCAA tournament appearances in her 19 season as the program’s head coach.
• Clemson has a 28-16 record in the NCAA tournament in its 16 appearances with Harris leading the program.
• Harris has taken the Tigers to the program’s two best-ever finishes in the national tournament, back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2004 and 2005

Rice Notes & Series Information: 

• The Owls are 13-9 overall and are ranked 41^st in the nation according to the most recent ITA poll.
• Rice won the Conference-USA Championship, defeating Southern Miss, North Texas and Florida International en route to the title.
• The Tigers and Owls have one common opponent in 2016, Virginia Tech. The Tigers defeated the Hokies 4-3 in Blacksburg, Va. on Jan. 28, while the Owls fell to the Hokies 4-1 on Feb. 20 in Huntington, W.Va.
• Rice has one player, Katherine Ip at 104^th, ranked in the top 125 of the ITA singles poll, while Ip and teammate Emily Smith are ranked 57^th in the nation in doubles.
• Clemson has a 2-0 record against Rice all-time, however, the two teams have not met on the tennis courts since 1985.
• The Tigers and Owls met two consecutive seasons, in 1984 and 1985, at the Oklahoma State Invitational in Stillwater, Okla. Clemson won both contests, 5-1 in 1984 and 7-2 in 1985.

Vanderbilt Notes & Series Information:

• The Commodores have a 19-5 record in 2016 and are currently ranked sixth in the nation.
• In the 2016 SEC Championships, Vanderbilt defeated Mississippi State in the quarterfinals before falling to Georgia in the semifinals.
• Three Vanderbilt singles players are ranked in the top 32 nationally – Frances Altick (14^th), Sydney Campbell (18^th) and Astra Sharma (32^nd).
• The Tigers have a 4-3 all-time advantage in the series against the Commodores. The teams met each of the last three seasons, with Clemson winning in 2013 in the NCAA Second Round and 2014 in the ITA Team Indoor Championships.
• Vanderbilt won the most recent meeting between the two teams, on May 15, 2015 in the Round of 16 of the NCAA Championships in Waco, Texas, by a score of 4-0. The Commodores went on to win the 2015 National Championship.

SIU-Edwardsville Notes & Series Information:

• SIU Edwardsville is 19-4 on the season.
• The Cougars won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship with wins over Eastern Kentucky and UT Martin.
• SIU Edwardsville is led by Lexi Aranda, who has a 17-4 record in dual matches at No. 1 singles in 2016.
• Clemson and SIU-Edwardsville have never met in women’s tennis.

ITA Rankings:

TEAMVanderbilt – 6^thClemson – 31^stRice – 41^st

SINGLESFrances Altick (Vanderbilt) – 14^thSydney Campbell (Vanderbilt) – 18^thJoana Eidukonyte (Clemson) – 26^thAstra Sharma (Vanderbilt) – 32^ndAyan Broomfield (Clemson) – 51^stKatherine Ip (Rice) – 104^th   

DOUBLESCampbell/Courtney Colton (Vanderbilt) – 14^thColton/Sharma (Vanderbilt) – 37^thEidukonyte/Navarro (Clemson) – 41^stIp/Emily Smith (Rice) – 57^th