For Immediate Release: March 12, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONCS FALL AT SAN JOSE STATE

SAN JOSE, CA –The University of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis team played reasonably well Tuesday afternoon, in the final match of their spring break trip. Unfortunately for the Lady Broncs, host San Jose State was a little better, and the Lady Spartans prevailed, 4-3.

Freshman Ana Pena (McAllen, TX/Nikki Rowe HS) didn’t lose a game in either her singles or her doubles match. Pena teamed with fellow freshman Kathryn Waslen (Calgary, AB/West Island College) to defeat Emily Kuo and Whitney Vasu at number three doubles, 8-0. She then downed Kuo at number five singles, 6-0, 6-0.

Sophomores Celine Merlini (Vevey, Switzerland/Cessev HS) and Jessica Brown (Sioux City, IA/North HS) were victorious in their singles matches. Merlini defeated Ana Lukner at number one singles, 6-2, 7-6, taking the second-set tie-breaker by a 9-7 score. Brown downed Vasu at number six singles, 6-7, 6-1, 7-5, losing the first set tie-breaker by 7-3. The Lady Spartans won at number one and two doubles, and the teams then split the singles matches, resulting in UTPA’s fifth 4-3 loss of the season.

”We fought hard, and we played better than we did yesterday,” said UTPA Head Coach Todd Chapman. “Ana played great, not losing a game in either singles or doubles It’s great to see a freshman play so well. Jessica played the best match I’ve seen her play all year in her singles, and Celine played well in her singles match. We played better, we just didn’t pull through. Hopefully, this will carry over when we come home next week, and we’ll continue to get better.”

The Lady Broncs dropped to 2-10 with the defeat, while the Lady Spartans improved to 4-4. UTPA will return to action Saturday, March 23^rd when they play St. Mary’s and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
                                                                
                                                            SAN JOSE STATE 4, UTPA 3

DOUBLES

1-Ana Lukner and Noelle Lee, SJSU, defeated Celine Merlini and Elisabet Mateos, 8-2

2-Coral Silverstone and Helen Van, SJSU, defeated Eve Nickelson and Jessica Brown, 8-2

3-Kathryn Waslen and Ana Pena, UTPA defeated Emily Kuo and Whitney Vasu, 8-0

                                                                            SINGLES

1-Merlini, UTPA, defeated Lukner, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)

2-Silverstone, SJSU, defeated Mateos, 6-3, 6-4

3-Lee, SJSU, defeated Waslen, 6-0, 6-1
4-Van, SJSU, defeated Eve Nickelson, 6-2, 6-0

5-Pena, UTPA, defeated Kuo, 6-0, 6-0

6-Brown, UTPA, defeated Vasu, 6-7 (7-3), 6-1, 7-5

                                                                       WTSJSU031202