For Immediate Release: February 18, 2001
Contact: Derek Smolik, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations

UT Pan American Tennis Rolls Past Lamar in Men’s, Women’s Tennis Action

EDINBURG – The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s tennis teams swept a doubleheader from Lamar University in tennis action Sunday afternoon at the Cardinal Courts.

On the women’s side, the Lady Broncs rebounded from a tough loss on Saturday to roll past the Cardinals.  Celine Merlini won her 16^th match of the season, a 6-1, 6-2, decision over Kasia Finkowska at number one.  Also posting singles wins were Alana Breen and Jessica Brown.  Merlini and Eve Nickelson won at number one doubles, while Erica Espinoza and Mireya Villareal won at number three doubles.

On the men’s side, the Broncs had little trouble improving to 3-4 on the season.  UTPA won five of the six singles matches and all three doubles matches to pick up the win.  Matt Gower rolled to an easy win at number one, by a 6-2, 6-0, count over Nebojsa Murisic.  Enrique Bastante won a tough 7-6, 6-2, decision over Chris Chapman at number two singles.  Juan Saiz, Kareem Abduallah and Tom Mangelschots also picked up singles win for the Broncs.

The women’s tennis team, which raised its record to 5-5, returns to action on Saturday, March 3^rd, when they travel to San Antonio to take on St. Mary’s University at 2 p.m.  The Bronc men’s tennis team, which won it’s second straight match, will next take the court on February 24^th when they travel to Arlington to take on Texas Wesleyan at 9 a.m. and UT-Arlington at 2:30 p.m.

UTPA 5, Lamar 2
Women’s Tennis
Beaumont, Texas

Singles
No. 1 – Celine Merlini (UTPA) d. Kasia Finkowska (LU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 – Catalina Pas (LU) d. Eve Nickelson (UTPA), 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 – Alta Wentzel (LU) d. Julie Fife (UTPA), 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 – Alana Breen (UTPA) d. Jennifer Wright (LU), 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 – Jessica Brown (UTPA) d. Sarah Wilson (LU), 6-0, 6-2
No. 6 – Mireya Villarreal (UTPA) won by default

Doubles
No. 1 – Merlini/Nickelson (UTPA) d. Paz/Wentzel (LU), 8-6
No. 2 – Finkowska/Wilson (LU) d. Brown/Fife (LU), 8-6
No. 3 – Espinoza/Villareal (UTPA) won by default

Records: UTPA 5-5, Lamar 2-4

UTPA 6, Lamar 1
Men’s Tennis
Beaumont, Texas

Singles
No. 1 – Matt Gower (UTPA) d. Nebojsa Murisic (LU), 6-2, 6-0
No. 2 – Enrique Bastante (UTPA) d. Chris Chapman (LU), 7-6, 6-2
No. 3 – Christian Schoning (LU) d. Brandon Meiners (UTPA), 1-6, 6-3, 10-8
No. 4 – Juan Saiz (UTPA) d. Thatcher Cribbs (LU), 6-0, 6-2
No. 5 – Kareem Abdullah (UTPA) d. Hormis Tharakan (LU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 – Tom Mangelschots (UTPA) d. Randy Aschenbeck (LU), 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
No. 1 – Abdullah/Gower (UTPA) d. Chapman/Schoning, (LU), 8-5
No. 2 – Bastante/Meiners (UTPA) d. Aschenbeck/Murisic (LU), 8-3
No. 3 – Cantu/Saiz (UTPA) d. Cribbs/Tharakan (LU), 8-6

Records: UTPA 3-4, Lamar 0-8