By Craig Sanders
Arizona Daily Wildcat
The Arizona women's tennis team blasted another opponent this weekend and is now setting its sights on intrastate rival Arizona State.
The Wildcats improved to 13-3 overall and 4-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference South by blanking Washington State 9-0. WSU dropped to 10-8.
The fifth-ranked UA squad has been dominating opponents lately, and has won three straight matches.
Against the Cougars, Arizona swept through singles play 6-0 despite windy conditions Friday at Robson Tennis Center.
A WSU player did not win more than four games in any of those. Arizona's Eva Maria Schurhoff and Stephanie Sammaritano flip-flopped the No. 2 and 3 positions as Arizona coach Becky Bell is still working to fine-tune the lineup.
Arizona played the shorter Pro Sets in doubles rather than the usual two sets to six. The UA's top doubles team of Schurhoff and Vicky Maes made quick work of Linette Visage and Emma Lin 8-2. Arizona's No. 2 team of Sammaritano and Melody Falco seemed a bit lackadaisical in their effort before defeating Narelle Hall and Sheetal Khanna 9-7.
The Wildcats are done with their brief top-25 respite and are readying themselves to face seventh-ranked Arizona State tomorrow. The Sun Devils defeated the same Washington State team 9-0
Tuesday. The match with ASU may be the most eagerly anticipated this year.
"We are ready for it," Bell said. "This team plays with a lot of confidence. ASU is a good team, but we always go out and play our hardest."
ASU is the only Pac-10 South team that the Wildcats have yet to face. The UA has defeated every team in the conference except third-ranked Stanford, which it lost to 7-2 Feb. 17. Arizona hopes ASU will be the fifth top-10 team they have beaten.
Arizona will play Arizona State at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Robson Tennis Center.