Nov. 11, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Marshall women's tennis team finished its season strong at the Kitty Harrison Invitational Sunday, against the University of Kentucky, University of Virginia, College of Charleston, and Furman University at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The Thundering Herd's junior Karolina Soor (Lindesberg, Sweden) earned fifth place with the win over Virginia's Amanda Rales, 6-4, 6-4.

"Soor had a quality win over Rales," Marshall head coach John Mercer said. "It was also a good accomplishment with the doubles wins over Furman."

The Herd swept Furman in three morning doubles matches. Soor, teamed with senior Jeanne Schwartz (West Palm Beach, Fla.), to defeat Laura Gioia and Natasha Manojlovic in flight one, 8-6. Then in flight two, Marshall junior Jessica Keener (Reston, Va.) and sophomore Yulia Kashelkina (Moscow, Russia) took the win over Lauren Osborne and Monica Arguello, 8-5. The Herd's duo of sophomore Thaddea Lock (Bristol, England) and freshman Isabel Raich (Klaus, Austria) defeated Jessica Preeg and Jennifer Betts, 8-6.

In afternoon singles play, the Herd competed in consolation round matches against Kentucky, Furman and College of Charleston. The Wildcats' Alaina Trgovich defeated the Herd's Schwartz, 6-1, 6-0, in flight four. In flight nine, Lock was defeated by Kentucky's Christine Johnston, 6-2, 6-0. Then Keener took the flight 11 win over Furman's Jennifer Betts, 6-1, 6-0. In flight 12, Kentucky's Carolina Escamilla defeated Marshall's Kashelkina, 6-1, 6-2. College of Charleston's Chelsea Albertz defeated Raich in flight 15, 7-5, 6-3.

"This invitational was one of the best jobs all season we've done to earn points" coach Mercer added. "We plan to work hard during the off season and look forward to January."

The Herd will open its season on Saturday, Jan. 19, at Lexington, Ky. with matches to begin at 12 p.m. Complete fall season recaps can be found at www.herdzone.com.

Flight One Morning Doubles Sunday's Results
Soor/Schwartz (Mar) def. Gioia/Manojlovic (Furman) - 8-6

Flight Two Morning Doubles Sunday's Results
Keener/Kashelkina (Mar) def. Osbourne/Arguello (Furman) - 8-5

Flight Three Morning Doubles Sunday's Results
Lock/Raich (Mar) def. Preeg/Betts (Furman) - 8-6

Fifth Place Championship Singles Afternoon Sunday's Results
Soor (Mar) def. Rales (Virginia) - 6-4, 6-4

Flight Four Consolation Singles Afternoon Sunday's Results
Trgovich (Kentucky) def. Schwartz (Mar) - 6-1, 6-0

Flight Nine Consolation Singles Afternoon Sunday's Results
Johnston (Kentucky) def. Lock (Mar) - 6-2, 6-0

Flight Eleven Consolation Singles Afternoon Sunday's Results
Keener (Mar) def. Betts (Furman) - 6-1, 6-0

Flight Twelve Consolation Singles Afternoon Sunday's Results
Escamilla (Kentucky) def. Kashelkina (Mar) - 6-1, 6-2

Flight Fifteen Consolation Singles Afternoon Sunday's Results
Albertz (College of Charl.) def. Raich (Mar) - 7-5, 6-3