For Immediate Release: March 23, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONCS DOWN ST. MARY’S, WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE

EDINBURG, TX –In the span of seven hours, The University of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis team doubled its season total of victories Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Broncs defeated St. Mary’s (TX), 6-1, then came back for a 7-0 victory against Wisconsin-Milwaukee at the Cox Tennis Center.

Sophomore Celine Merlini (Vevey, Switzerland/Cessev HS) and junior Elisabet Mateos (Barcelona, Spain/Laredo CC/Arnau Cadell HS) each won four matches Saturday. The pair downed Paola Almeida and Monica Gonzalez of St. Mary’s at number one doubles, 8-1, and defeated the Panthers’ number one doubles team of Tammie Spiel and Molly Caulk, 8-3. Merlini won both her matches at number one singles, downing the Almeida of the Rattlers, 6-0, 6-2, and UWM’s Spiel, 6-0, 6-0. Mateos won twice at number two singles. She downed Sonya Ortiz of St. Mary’s, 6-4, 6-3, then defeated Caulk of the Panthers, 6-2, 6-2.

Freshmen Ana Pena (McAllen, TX/Nikki Rowe HS) and Kathryn Waslen (Calgary, AB/West Island College) also went undefeated. They defeated Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Cassie Kuranz and Julie Heling at number three doubles, 8-1. Waslen downed Monica Gonzalez of the Rattlers at number three singles, 6-2, 6-1, and defeated Kuranz of UWM in their singles match, 6-1, 6-1. Pena defeated Jennifer Klauk of St. Mary’s at number five singles, 6-2, 6-1, and downed Shauna Jansen of UWM, 6-1, 6-1. The pair won by default in doubles against the Rattlers.

”We played well in both singles and doubles,” said UTPA Head Coach Todd Chapman. “We got off to a good start in both matches, and it seemed to carry over. It was definitely good to get two victories. Hopefully, we will be able to keep our momentum going, and get three wins this weekend.”

The Lady Broncs improved to 4-10 with the pair of victories. The Panthers fell to 0-11. UTPA will return to action when they play Centenary in Corpus Christi Sunday.
                                                                
                                                           


                                                    UTPA 6, ST. MARY’S (TX) 1

DOUBLES

1-Celine Merlini and Elisabet Mateos, UTPA, defeated Paola Almeida and Monica Gonzalez, 8-1
2-Sonya Ortiz and Jeannette Robles, SMC, defeated Eve Nickelson and Jessica Brown, 8-6
3-Kathryn Waslen and Ana Pena, UTPA, won by default.

                                                                        SINGLES

1-Merlini, UTPA, defeated Almeida, 6-0, 6-2
2-Mateos, UTPA, defeated Ortiz, 6-4, 6-3
3-Waslen, UTPA, defeated Gonzalez, 6-2, 6-1
4-Robles, SMC, defeated Nickelson, 6-1, 4-6, (10-5)
5-Pena, UTPA, defeated Klauk, 6-2, 6-1
6-Brown, UTPA, won by default
                                                                       

                                                   UTPA 7, WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE 0

DOUBLES

1-Celine Merlini and Elisabet Mateos, UTPA, defeated Tammie Spiel and Molly Caulk, 8-3
2-Eve Nickelson and Jessica Brown, UTPA, defeated Megan Brown and Shauna Jansen, 8-1
3-Kathryn Waslen and Ana Pena, UTPA, defeated Cassie Kuranz and Julie Heling, 8-1

                                                                        SINGLES

1-Merlini, UTPA, defeated Spiel, 6-0, 6-0
2-Mateos, UTPA, defeated Caulk, 6-2, 6-2
3-Waslen, UTPA, defeated Kuranz, 6-1, 6-1
4-Nickelson, UTPA, defeated M. Brown, 6-2, 6-0
5-Pena, UTPA, defeated Jansen, 6-1, 6-1
6-Brown, UTPA, defeated Heling, 6-1,

                                                       WTSTMARYSTXUWM032302