May 2, 2002

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina women's tennis team will serve as host for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament beginning on May 11 at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The Tar Heels, who are seeded No. 6 overall, will face Metro-Atlantic Conference champion Loyola (Md.) .

"I'm very excited about hosting the first two rounds," said UNC Head Coach Jen Callen. "We've worked hard all year to earn home court advantage, and now it's paying off."

The 48th-ranked Louisiana State Tigers and No. 52 Furman Paladins will join unranked Loyola in Chapel Hill for the first two rounds. Action begins at 10 a.m. on May 11 with LSU playing Furman. Carolina will face Loyola at 2 p.m. The winners will face each other at 1 p.m. on May 12 for the right to advance to the round of 16 being held in Palo Alto Calif. Third round action begins May 16.

This is Carolina's fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and the first time hosting. It is also the first meeting between UNC and Loyola. Carolina, which won the Atlantic Coast Conference title, is ranked No. 7 in the country in the latest ITA rankings. The Tar Heels feature three ranked players, led by No. 14 Kate Pinchbeck who has lost just one match all season. Pinchbeck will be joined by teammates Marlene Mejia and Julie Rotondi in the NCAA individual championships, which will be held in Palo Alto, Calif May 20-25.

The Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center is located off N.C. Highway 54 on Don Skakle Drive. For ticket information, contact the UNC ticket office at (919) 962-2296.