SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The 39th-ranked Slippery Rock University women's tennis team continues its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division road swing 1:30 p.m. Thursday against Seton Hill University at Penn Trafford High School.
 
MOTHER NATURE IS UNPREDICTABLE
With the unpredictable spring weather in western Pennsylvania, fans are reminded that any time / location / date changes will be posted on rockathletics.com and all of SRU athletics' official social media accounts as information becomes available.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live in-match results for Thursday's match will be provided by the SRU Women's Tennis program at the link below or by clicking HERE.
 
MATCH 8 DETAILS
Opponent: Seton Hill University
Date: Thursday – 4 p.m.
Location: Penn Trafford High School - Harrison City, Pennsylvania
Live Results: Link
All-Time Series: SRU leads 11-2
Last Played: April 9, 2025 (SRU won 7-0)
 
LAST TIME OUT
Slippery Rock opened the PSAC West portion of its 2025-26 schedule on a high note with a 7-0 win Monday at Clarion. Seton Hill lost a road match Sunday to Indiana (Pa.), 7-0.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Slippery Rock owns an 11-2 record against the Griffins in the all-time series. SRU has won seven consecutive matches against the Griffins, including four straight 7-0 shutouts. No active member of Slippery Rock's roster has ever lost to a Seton Hill athlete in their careers.
 
SRU Individual Records vs. SHU
Dari Sakhanova (4-0)
2024-25: Kaylee Kanuka (W – 6-1, 6-1)
2023-24: Kasey Storkel (W – 6-0, 6-0)
2023-24: Kasey Storkel (W – 6-0, 6-0)
2022-23: Kendall McCluskey (W – 6-0, 6-2)
 
Amaia Balaguer Brau (2-0)
2024-25: Carissa Shepard (W – 6-2, 6-0)
2023-24: Carissa Shepard (W – 6-1, 6-3)
 
Tina Slovak (2-0)
2023-24: Sophia Solomon (W – 6-0, 6-2)
2022-23: Alycia Derr (W – 6-1, 6-0)
 
Nicole Kempton (2-0)
2024-25: Alex Wolf (W – 6-0, 6-0)
2023-24: Kaylee Kanuka (W – 6-1, 6-1)
 
Alissia Kivi (1-0)
2024-25: Maria Pereda (W – 6-0, 6-1)
 
MEREDITH GOING FOR WIN 400
Slippery Rock head coach Matt Meredith enters Thursday match needing to lead The Rock to just one more win to earn the 400th victory of his career. When Meredith does enter the 400 win club, he will become just the 13th coach in Division II history to reach the victory milestone.
 
Already the PSAC's all-time winningest women's tennis coach, Meredith has compiled a 399-225 career record and a .639 winning percentage. An eight-time PSAC Coach of the Year, Meredith ranks 13th on the DII career wins list and is the eighth active winningest coach in Division II.
 
Wins by Active Head Coaches
1. Mike Perez – Lynn: 730
2. Mark Rosewell - Northwest Missouri - 695
3. Derrick Racine – West Florida: 643
4. Alan Nagel – Queens College: 623
5. Mark Bohren – Azusa Pacific: 474
6. Evan Isaacs – Columbus State: 471
7. Avi Kigel – Barry: 422
8. Matt Meredith – Slippery Rock: 399
 
All-Time Wins by D2 Head Coaches
1. Mike Perez (1990-Active) – Lynn: 730
2. Dave Porter (1984-17) – BYU-Hawai'i: 701
3. Mark Rosewell (1982-Active) - Northwest Missouri - 695
4. Derrick Racine (1995-Active) – West Florida: 643
5. Alan Nagel (1980-Active) – Queens College: 623
6. Walter Shinn (1979-14) – Flagler: 536
7. Bev Buckley (1987-24) – Rollins: 535
8. Mark Bohren (1998-Active) – Azusa Pacific: 474
9. Evan Isaacs (2002-Active) – Columbus State: 471
10. Sheila Snyder (1989-24) – Wayne State: 446
11. Avi Kigel (2009-Active) – Barry: 422
12. David Elliott (1991-13) – Harding: 403
13. Matt Meredith – Slippery Rock: 399
t14. Steve Barsby (1996-Active) – Georgia College: 393
t14. Calhoun Parr (2000-Active) - Erskine: 393
 
GOING FOR BEST START SINCE 2008-09
A victory against Seton Hill would give The Rock a 7-1 record, which would mark the best eight-match start to a season inside the program since going 7-1 in 2008-09. That year's team opened its year 9-1.
 
ROCK REMAINS 39th IN ITA POLL
Slippery Rock remained ranked 39th in the latest Division II Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, the organization announced Wednesday with the release of its weekly top 50 poll. SRU is the second-highest ranked team from the Atlantic Region behind on No. 20 Charleston, but ahead of No. 40 IUP and No. 46 West Virginia Wesleyan.

In the individual rankings, The Rock's top doubles team of Alissia Kivi and Nicole Kempton dipped slightly from last week's poll, falling to No. 31 in the Division II doubles rankings after being ranked 26th a week ago.
 
BY THE (ITF World Tennis) NUMBERS
The ITF World Tennis Number provides a global rating standard for tennis players using a 40-1 scale, with 40 being a beginner player and 1 being an elite professional. The scale is for all players, regardless of age, gender, or ability. Below are the top singles WTN's for athletes in Thursday's match.
 
1. Amaia Balaguer Brau (SRU): 20.12
2. Alissia Kivi (SRU): 20.83
3. Nicole Kempton (SRU): 21.81
4. Dari Sakhanova (SRU): 21.94
5. Nadia Rodewald (SRU): 23.67
6. Tina Slovak (SRU): 23.85
7. Carissa Shepard (SHU): 26.34
8. Anna Poranski (SRU): 27.05
9. Marika Kempinski (SRU): 27.10
10. Kaylee Kanuka (SHU): 29.74
11. Alexandra Wolf (SHU): 30.51
12. Jaime Kallet (SHU): 30.71
13. Alycia Derr (SHU): 31.17
 
CAREER WINS LIST CLIMBERS
Slippery Rock's quartet of Dari Sakhanova, Tina Slovak, Amaia Balaguer Brau and Nicole Kempton have all won over 100 matches at SRU and are in the process of vaulting up The Rock's career wins ledger.
 
SRU Career Wins List (6-15)
6. Jessica Hilborn (2006-10): 137
7. Lacey Cohen (2016-21): 129
8. Dari Sakhanova (2022-Active): 128
9. Lois Page (2018-22): 126
10. Sarah Lynch (2009-12): 116
11. Lauren Coggins (2010-14): 115
12. Janelle Krantz (2009-13): 112
t13. Tina Slovak (2022-Active): 111
t13. Dunja Drmac (2009-12): 111
t15. Amaia Balaguer Brau (2023-Active): 103
t15. Nicole Kempton (2023-Active): 103
 
ITA RANKINGS CHECK
National Doubles
No. 31: Nicole Kempton / Alissia Kivi (SRU)
 
Regional Doubles
No. 2: Nicole Kempton / Alissia Kivi (SRU)
 
Regional Singles
No. 5: Alissia Kivi (SRU)
No. 8: Nicole Kempton (SRU)
No. 9: Amaia Balaguer Brau (SRU)
No. 11: Dari Sakhanova (SRU)
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
• Roster: Link
• Stats: Link
• Overall Record: 6-1
• PSAC West Record: 1-0
• PSAC West Standings: t-1st
• Home Record: 1-0
• Away Record: 2-0
• Neutral Site Record: 3-1
• Last 5 Matches: 4-1
• Streak: W2
• Head Coach: Matt Meredith | 28th season (399-225, .639)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
• The combination of Amaia Balaguer Brau, Alissia Kivi and Nicole Kempton have all gone 5-2 in the top half of The Rock's standard singles lineup. All three all have superior overall records as well with Kivi leading the pack at 14-3 followed by Kempton (12-4) and Balaguer Brau (12-5).
 
• Just as impressive as Slippery Rock top three flights has been the performances out of the back half of lineup.
 
• Dari Sakhanova and Nadia Rodewald are both 6-1 in dual matches with Sakhanova holding an 11-4 overall record Rodewald pushing her overall mark to 9-6 thanks to a four-match winning streak. Tina Slovak has evenly split her eight singles bouts on the year as well.
 
• Anna Poranski took part in her first dual match at The Rock as part of the Clarion win. A transfer from Grove City College, Poranski posted a 6-0, 6-0 sixth-flight win against the Golden Eagles.
 
• SRU has yet to lose the team doubles point this season.
 
• The Rock's nationally ranked doubles team of Kempton and Kivi have put together a 14-8 overall record and a 5-2 dual match mark while facing the best SRU's opposition has to offer.
 
• Slippery Rock's veteran pairing of Slovak and Balaguer Brau have also been dominant in 2025-26, going 10-3 overall and 5-2 out of the second flight of dual matches.
 
• The third-flight tandem of Rodewald and Sakhanova have been virtually unbeatable in their first year as team. They enter Thursday with a 15-1 overall record and winners in seven straight matches.
 
SETON HILL PRIMER
• Roster: Link
• Overall Record: 2-7
• PSAC West Record: 0-2
• PSAC West Standings: 7th
• Home Record: 2-2
• Away Record: 0-3
• Last 5 Matches: 2-3
• Streak: L2
• Head Coach: Megan Satira | Third season (11-29, .275)
 
UP NEXT
Slippery Rock returns home to host Edinboro for another PSAC West contest 4 p.m. April 7 at the SRU Tennis Courts.





To stay up to date with all that happens at The Rock, follow our official Athletic Communication accounts on 'X' (formerly Twitter, @Rock_Athletics), Facebook (RockAthletics) and Instagram (RockAthletics).