#25 Syracuse Welcomes Columbia, #10 Duke

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - No. 25 Syracuse is on a roll this spring and is one win away from tying the record for best start in head coach Younes Limam's Orange career. 'Cuse (6-0, 1-0 ACC) will look to advance its hot streak this week when Columbia (7-2) and No. 10 Duke (7-2) come to town. The Orange host the Lions Friday at 3 p.m. before welcoming the Blue Devils Sunday at 11 a.m. Both matches will be played at Drumlins Country Club. Parking and admission to all matches are free.

Friday is Pink Day where fans are encouraged to wear pink, and fanny packs will be given away. Sunday's match features a t-shirt giveaway and is a Rewards Game. Fans with the official 'Cuse app can earn 1,000 points for coming to the game. Both matches will also have free pizza.

Hot Streak
This year's 6-0 start is the best start for the Orange since the 2016 season when they started 7-0. Syracuse's roster features a quartet of players who are having excellent seasons. Senior Miranda Ramirez and the freshmen duo of Zeynep Erman and Kim Hansen are all 6-0 in the spring, and freshman Polina Kozyreva is 4-0. Ramirez has won her last four singles matches in straight sets and started off a perfect 4-0 in doubles play with senior partner Guzal Yusupova. Erman has won every one of her singles matches in no more than two sets, and Hansen started the year with five consecutive two-set wins. As a unit, 'Cuse is 27-9 in singles play and 8-8 in doubles.

The Orange's efforts led to the team earning its eighth top-25 ranking in the Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national poll Tuesday. 'Cuse is one of eight ACC programs ranked in the top-25, joining: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 2 Florida State, No. 4 NC State, No. 9 Virginia, No. 10 Duke, No. 11 Georgia Tech, and No. 19 Wake Forest.

'Cuse and national leader North Carolina (12-0, 2-0 ACC) are the only two undefeated programs in the ACC.

Last Time Out
Syracuse won, 4-3, over Boston College Saturday afternoon to remain undefeated and claim its first conference victory of the season. Syracuse relied on strong singles play to come away with the win after dropping the doubles point.

Scouting the Lions
Columbia is led by Ilene Weintraub who is in her 13th year for the Lions. The Lions ended last season with a 15-4, 4-3 Ivy record. Columbia returns Akanksha Bhan and Melissa Sakar this season, and both players earned 20 singles wins a year ago.

Jennifer Kerr and Sakar have paced the team this spring. Kerr, who has seen action in first, second, and third singles, is 6-2 on the year and is riding a five-match winning streak. Her play last season earned her unanimous First Team All-Ivy League honors in singles competition. Sakar, who was recently promoted to first singles, remains unbeaten on the year at 7-0.

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Players Mentioned

Zeynep Erman

Kim Hansen

Polina Kozyreva

Miranda Ramirez

Guzal Yusupova

Syracuse University Athletics