By: Joseph Hovey
DALLAS — Kennesaw State swept Conference USA's weekly women's tennis awards with
Ema Baraniakova named Athlete of the Week, and the tandem of Baraniakova and
Sofia Madrid named Doubles Team of the Week, the league announced on Wednesday.
A week ago, Baraniakova became the first Owl to garner a CUSA women's tennis athlete of the week honor. This week, the junior from Leopoldov, Slovakia, becomes the first-ever KSU player to win such an award in back-to-back weeks.
The Owls have not won a league's women's tennis athlete of the week award in consecutive weeks since February 19 and 26, 2014, in the ASUN.
Baraniakova and Madrid went undefeated in No. 1 doubles play through two matches a week ago versus No. 55 Georgia Tech and Middle Tennessee.
Against the Yellow Jackets, Baraniakova and Madrid helped KSU win the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Alejandra Cruz and Seri Nayuki, the nation's No. 77-ranked pair.
While the Owls lost the match to Georgia Tech, they delivered the Yellow Jackets' first doubles defeat in six matches, something No. 44 Notre Dame, No. 21 Virginia, No. 34 Charlotte and No. 43 Penn State had been unable to do.
Baraniakova and Madrid continued their doubles momentum with a quick 6-0 defeat of the Blue Raiders' Sara Conde and Cara Szilasi in KSU's 4-3 win over MTSU.
The Owl pairing is now 9-4 on the season with wins in eight of their last 10 matches.
In singles play, Baraniakova went 1-1 a week ago, with a 6-1, 6-3 court-one win over MTSU's Zora Koenig.
Baraniakova, Madrid and the Owls continue CUSA play with matches against New Mexico State and Sam Houston on April 3-4 in Huntsville, Texas.
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