March 24, 2001

Memphis, Tenn.-- - The University of Memphis women's tennis team (9-6, 1-1) used a pair of wins, Saturday, to improve to 9-6 on the season heading into a three-match Texas road trip next week.

Memphis began Saturday morning outside at The Racquet Club against SIU-Carbondale, but was forced to finish the match later in the afternoon due to rain. Once the rain passed, the SIU-Carbondale Salukis and the Lady Tigers finished their match on the outdoor courts at the University of Memphis.

SIU took the doubles point, but Memphis battled back with wins at No. 1 and NO. 2 singles to make it 2-1, Memphis. But the Salukis battled back with a win at No. 6 to knot it at 2-2, before junior Annika Westberg won her No. 5 singles match, 6-0, 6-4. With the score favoring Memphis, 3-2, the Saluki's Tana Trapani took advantage of significantly less mobile Sumitra Rao, who is recovering from a sprained ankle, to win the No. 4 match, 6-1, 6-2.

The No. 3 singles match was the last to finish and was the one which swayed the final score in Memphis' favor when senior Betsy Card downed Alejandra Blanco, 6-4, 6-4.

From there, the Lady Tigers loaded into cars and drove to the much-warmer Racquet Club for a second match of the day, this one against East Tennessee State.

Despite losing the No. 1 doubles match, Memphis held on to win the doubles point. Sophomore Sumitra Rao then made it 2-0 Memphis with a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 4, despite her heavily-taped ankle. That cushion was all Memphis needed, as wins would also come at No. 3, 5 and 6 singles to give Memphis a 5-2 win. Paty Vega downed Memphis' Christina Ladyman at No. 1, 6-3, 6-2, and Mami Inone battled leg cramps to hold off Sabrina Lindemann at No. 2, 6-1, 7-5.

Memphis returns to the road for its next three matches, facing New Mexico State, UT-El Paso and Long Beach State in El Paso, Friday and Saturday.

Memphis 4, SIU-Carbondale 3
Singles
No. 1 - Christina Ladyman (UM) def. Erika Ochoa (SIU), 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 - Sabrina Lindemann (UM) def. Ana Serrot (SIU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 - Betsy Card (UM) def. Alejandra Blanco (SIU), 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 - Tana Trapani (SIU) def. Sumitra Rao (UM), 6-1, 6-2
No. 5 - Annika Westberg (UM) def. Rachel Moroles (SIU), 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 - Sarah Krismanits (SIU) def. Rebecca Garner (UM), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 - Ochoa/Serrot (SIU) def. Ladyman/Lindemann (UM), 8-4
No. 2 - Blanco/Trapani (SIU) def. Card/Westberg (UM), 8-4

No. 3 - Was not played

Memphis 5, East Tennessee State 2
Singles
No. 1 - Paty Vega (ETSU) def. Christina Ladyman (UM), 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 - Mami Inone (ETSU) def. Sabrina Lindemann (UM), 6-1, 7-5
No. 3 - Betsy Card (UM) def. Jessica Irey (ETSU), 7-5, 6-1
No. 4 - Sumitra Rao (UM) def. Cara Prapas (ETSU), 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 - Annika Westberg (UM) def. Tatiana Arriaran (ETSU), 6-0, 6-2
No. 6 - Rebecca Garner (UM) def. Susan Torbett (ETSU), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 - Vega/Inone (ETSU) def. Ladyman/Lindemann (UM), 8-6
No. 2 - Card/Westberg (UM) def. Prapas/Aimee Villavicencio (ETSU), 8-1
No. 3 - Rao/Garner (UM) def. Irey/Arriaran (ETSU), 8-3