ITHACA, N.Y. — The women's tennis team will begin the dual match portion of its schedule this weekend when it hosts a doubleheader at Reis Tennis Center. The Big Red will take on Maryland-Baltimore County at 10 a.m. before playing host to St. John's at 3 p.m.
 
Cornell is coming off a strong performance at the Cornell Winter Invitational last weekend. Senior Sarah O'Neil won the A Singles bracket, while sophomore Sara Perelman won the B Singles crown, and the freshman team of Laila Judeh and Dena Tanenbaum won the A Doubles crown at the three-day event, featuring competitors from Cornell, Army and Seton Hall.
 
UMBC is 0-3, coming off losses at Maryland and Old Dominion last weekend following a season-opening 6-1 loss at William & Mary on Jan. 15. Kim Berghaus is the team's incumbent No. 1 in singles and typically teams with Julia Sauer at the top spot in doubles. Berghaus was ranked 111th by the ITA when Cornell's O'Neil defeated her in last season's No. 1 singles match at Reis, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
 
The Big Red is 5-1 all-time against UMBC, including a 6-1 victory on Feb. 4, 2012 to kick off last season's dual matches. The Retrievers' lone victory in the series was March 9, 2003, when it eked out a 4-3 decision at Reis Tennis Center.
 
Cornell also only has one loss all-time to St. John's, winning the teams' other two meetings by convincing 7-0 scores in 2011 and 2012. The Red Storm is 1-1, following a 7-0 victory over Fairfield last weekend after a 6-1 loss to Boston University the week before. Freshman Amber Washington has won both her No. 3 singles matches to date after a fall season which included a consolation championship at Penn's Cissie Leary Invitational, a singles title at the USTA Women's College Invitational and a march into the Round of 32 at the USTA/ITA Women's Northeast Regional.