Falcons open conference play, hosting four matches
3/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
This week: Air Force opens conference play. The Falcons host Wyoming Friday, April 1, at Noon followed by a non-conference match vs. Colorado Mesa at 4 p.m. The Falcons host Colorado State on Sunday, April 3 at Noon and CSU-Pueblo at 4 p.m.
Pack the house: For the first time the Air Force men's and women's tennis programs are hosting simultaneous conference matches. The Academy will attempt to break the current NCAA record of 753 fans and are trying to reach 1,000 for the Sunday matches.
Friday, outdoors:
Noon: AF men vs. Boise State, AF women vs. Wyoming
4 pm: AF men vs. Mesa State, AF women vs. Mesa State
Friday, if indoors:
9 am: AF women vs. Wyoming
1 pm: AF men vs. Boise St
5 pm: AF women vs. Mesa State
Sunday outdoors:
Noon: AF men vs. Utah State, AF women vs. Colorado State
4 pm: AF women vs. CSU-Pueblo
Sunday, if indoors:
9 am: AF men vs. Utah State
1 pm: AF women vs. Colorado State
4 pm: AF women vs. CSU-Pueblo
Last week: Air Force defeated Midwestern State, 4-1, Saturday at the Academy. Midwestern State, the 20th-ranked team in Division II, opened the match by winning the doubles point. The lone Falcon win came at No. 1 behind Jocelle Rudico and Chloe Forlini with a 6-4 win over Eirini Kontaki and Lindsay Nochowicz. The Falcons swept the four singles matches that were finished to secure the win. Forlini, who moved to No. 1 singles for the match, was a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Madeline Schorlemmer. Mary Meyers defeated Kontaki at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 6-4 to pick up her 10th win of the season. Freshman Elizabeth Barnickel added a win at No. 3 singles, beating Greta Lazzarotto, 6-3, 6-3. Lily Forlini closed it out for the Falcons with a 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 4 over Lauren Pineda. Barnickel recorded her 19th singles win of the season while Lily Forlini notched her 18th.
Head Coach Kim Gidley: Kim Gidley is in her 18th season as head coach of the women's tennis team at the Air Force Academy. The first civilian head coach in the 37-year history of the program, Gidley became the winningest coach in the history of the program in 2003 with her 76th victory. She recorded her 100th career victory during the 2005-06 season against South Dakota State and her 200th against Seattle University last season. She has a 239-231 career record. Gidley has led the Falcons to six straight winning seasons which is a first in the Division I era (1996).
