Feb. 17, 2007

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - It came down to the wire for the Marquette women's tennis team Saturday, but junior Erin Watkins pulled off a three set win to help the Golden Eagles win its first match in six tries. MU prevailed over Northern Arizona, 4-3, at Lobo Tennis Club on the campus of the University of New Mexico. The Golden Eagles improve to 2-8 on the season.

Marquette started off the day winning the doubles point. The no. 1 doubles duo of sophomore Lauren Little and junior Shannon Brown downed Leslie Vial and Katie Shurr, 8-5. An 8-3 win from Watkins and senior Francina Bonnelly over Paij Porter and Stacey Pinchbeck was all Marquette need to take the early 1-0 lead.

In singles action, sophomore Robin Metzler made it 2-0 in favor of Marquette with a 6-0 straight-set shutout of Porter at no. 5 singles.

Northern Arizona tied the score up 2-2 after Vial and Patrice Biemold scored wins at no. 4 and no. 1 singles. Brown gave Marquette back the one point lead after she finished off Pinchbeck, 7-6, 6-3, at no. 6 singles. Then Shurr defeated freshman Kylie Moore in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the second singles position to keep NAU alive (3-3), and leave Watkins at no. 3 singles to decide who would go home the victor. Watkins needed three sets after losing the first, 5-7, to put the match away for the Golden Eagles. She defeated Susan McClelland, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Marquette will be back in action Sunday when it plays no. 38 New Mexico at 10 a.m. CT.

Marquette def. Northern Arizona, 4-3

Doubles
1)Little/Brown (Marquette) Def. Vial/Shurr (NAU) 8-5
2)Biemold/McClelland (NAU) Def. Calbeto/Moore (Marquette) 8-5
3)Watkins/Bonnelly (Marquette) Def. Porter/Pinchbeck (NAU) 8-3

Singles
1)Patrice Biemold (NAU) Def. Lauren Little (Marquette) 6-2, 6-4
2)Katie Shurr (NAU) Def. Kylie Moore (Marquette) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
3)Erin Watkins (Marquette) Def. Susan McClelland (NAU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
4)Leslie Vial (NAU) Def. Maria Calbeto (Marquette) 6-2, 6-4
5)Robin Metxler (Marquette) Def. Paij Porter(NAU) 6-0, 6-0
6)Shannon Brown (Marquette) Def. Stacey Pinchbeck (NAU) 7-6, 6-3

Order of singles finish: 5,4,1,6,2 &3