DENTON, Texas\u00a0\u2014 The University of Houston Tennis team continues its season opening road swing when it travels to face North Texas and UT Arlington on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Due to incoming inclement weather in the area, the original weekend schedule has been altered. Houston will now face North Texas at 10:30 a.m., Thursday at the Waranch Tennis Complex before heading to Arlington, Texas to face UT Arlington at 3 p.m. at the UTA Tennis Center.
\n\u00a0
\nFans can watch the action against North Texas here<\/a>, or follow live stats here<\/a>.
\n\u00a0
\nLAST TIME OUT
\nThe Cougars swept through their opening weekend defeating UC Riverside, UC Irvine and LMU, 4-0. Seniors Sophie Schouten<\/a> and Chems Doha Zeghlouli<\/a> completed an undefeated weekend each winning their three singles contest and teaming up for a pair of doubles victories.
\n\u00a0
\nHouston swept its first three opponents to start the season for the first time since 1990 and did so on the road for the first time in program history.
\n\u00a0
\nABOUT HOUSTON
\nHouston enters its second season under the direction of Head Coach Katarina Adamovic<\/a> and returns five starters from a season ago.
\n\u00a0
\nJunior Valeriia Krokhotina<\/a> led the Cougars with eight singles wins including five in conference play. Seniors Gabriela Cortes<\/a> and Sophie Schouten<\/a> posted a team-high four doubles victories, two of which were against ranked opponents.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Cougars feature a pair of new staff members in former Missouri women’s tennis head coach Chris Wootton<\/a> as an assistant coach and six-time All-WAC performer Santa Strombacha<\/a> as a graduate assistant.
\n\u00a0
\nHouston added Chems Doha Zeghlouli<\/a> and Petja Drame<\/a> to its roster over the summer and welcomed Alexia Lavinia Puiac<\/a> in December.
\n\u00a0
\nZeghlouli joins the Cougars after three seasons at South Alabama where she compiled 36 singles victories including an 11-1 record in 2025. She posted a 4-0 record on court three and was undefeated in her final 11 starts.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Paris, France, native joined forces with Schouten as they reached the Quarterfinals of the ITA Regional Championships and punched a ticket to the ITA Sectionals during the fall season.
\n\u00a0
\nDrame is a two-time Conference USA Champion at FIU. She won 17 singles and 11 doubles matches in her two seasons in Miami.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Maribor, Slovenia, native earned a career-high #267 ITF Junior ranking and was a four-time member of the Slovenian National Team including posting a Slovenian Senior Masters Championship.
\n\u00a0
\nPuiac brings a current #7 ITF ranking, and reached as high as #5 on the ITF World Tennis Tour. She holds a WTA ranking of #1309 in singles and a career-best #1066 in doubles.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Cluj-Napooca, Romania, native has twice been selected to represent Romania’s Junior National Team and is a three-time Romanian National Champion with one singles and two doubles.
\n\u00a0
\nABOUT NORTH TEXAS
\nNorth Texas opened their season with a hidden duel against TCU and Michigan State in Fort Worth, Texas. Pia Petelinsek led the way with a pair of singles wins over the weekend. The Mean Green compiled a total of four singles and two doubles victories over the weekend.
\n\u00a0
\nThe Cougars hold a 9-3 record against the Mean Green winning five of the last six meetings. Last season, Houston swept North Texas as seniors Gabriela Cortes<\/a> and Sophie Schouten<\/a> helped clinch the doubles point while Schouten and junior Elizaveta Morozova<\/a> registered singles victories for the Cougars.
\n\u00a0
\nABOUT UT ARLINGTON
\nUT Arlington opens its season against Houston for the second season in a row. The Mavericks hold a 6-3 edge including winning five of the last six meetings against the Cougars.
\n\u00a0
\nHouston swept UT Arlington as the shorthanded Mavericks team forfeited a doubles and singles court before Schouten and Krokhotina delivered the singles points for the Cougars.
\n\u00a0
\nSUPPORT YOUR COOGS
\nFans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Tennis by providing NIL opportunities<\/a> and by joining the Center Court Club<\/a>, which provides financial support directly to Houston Tennis for needs beyond its operating budget.
\n\u00a0
\nSTAY CONNECTED
\nFans can receive updates by following @UHCougarTennis<\/a> on X, formerly known as Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarTennis<\/a> or on the team’s Instagram page at @uhcougartennis<\/a>.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2013 UHCougars.com \u2013
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n