Kansas University freshman tennis player Ekaterina Morozova races to return a shot during singles play against Drake. KU defeated Drake, 5-2, then went on to beat St. Louis, 6-1, on Sunday at First Serve Tennis.

Amy Hall-Holt tempered praise for her Kansas University tennis team with just enough coach-speak to keep the Jayhawks grounded in the early season.

“It feels good,” Hall-Holt said, “but we’re still a long way off from where we need to be.”

For now, though, KU’s coach gladly will take her team’s latest performance any day of the week. And twice on Sunday.

Kansas began the season 3-0 for the first time since 2000, completing a Sunday sweep of both Drake and St. Louis in the evening at First Serve Tennis.

“We asked a lot for them to play three matches in two days, but the girls came out and competed hard,” Hall-Holt said. “That’s all we ask is for them is to put it all out there on the court. I felt we did that from top to bottom.”

One day after defeating UTEP, 4-3, to open the season at home, the Jayhawks dispatched the Bulldogs, 5-2, during Sunday’s afternoon session, then easily handled the Billikens, 6-1.

Senior Yuliana Svistun teamed with freshman Kate Morosova to win both matches as No. 2 doubles partners.

Svistun, in fact, has yet to lose either a doubles or singles match thus far.

Her record stands at 3-0 in each.

“I come out to the court and I want to give my 100 percent because it’s my last season,” said Svistun, a native of Ufa, Russia. “I’m just really excited about it.”

Hall-Holt said Svistun didn’t even crack the playing rotation as a freshman but had made great strides over the past three years, particularly in doubles.

“The girl could barely volley when she got here, and now she’s moved up to No. 2 doubles and is just a rocket at the net,” Hall-Holt said.

Kansas, which cracked the official top 75 Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings at No. 75, surely will move up in the next poll.

KU senior Edina Horvath said the national recognition does wonders for her tennis game.

“I feel much more confident on the court if I know that we are ranked,” said Horvath, who won both her singles and doubles matches Sunday. “I just get more excited, and during practice I have more motivation. It’s great to be ranked.”

Morozova, Horvath, Kunigunda Dorn, Maria Martinez and Svistun all claimed singles victories against the Billikens, as the outcome was decided well before KU’s No. 6 singles player, Erin Wilbert, took the court for the night’s final match.