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For Immediate
Release: September 29, 2000 Merlini, Fife Lead UT Pan American Women’s Tennis at Lady Cardinal Invitational BEAUMONT, TEXAS – Freshmen Celine Merlini and Julie Fife made immediate impacts in their first day of collegiate tennis, helping to lead the University of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis team on the first day of the Lady Cardinal Invitational, held at the Cardinal Courts, on Friday. Merlini, a native of Vevey, Switzerland, won her first two matches, both by convincing scores, to advance to the semifinals of Flight A. Merlini had to come from behind to win her first match. Yvonne Bresler of McNeese State won the first set 6-1, but Merlini came back to take the second and third sets, 6-3, 6-1, to win the match. She then followed that up with a convincing 6-2, 6-0, win over Reagan Schneider of Lee College. She will face Arina Uratani of Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. Not a one dimensional player, Merlini teamed with Maria Fernandez to advance to the semifinals of Flight A Doubles as well. The pair defeated Cagle and Watson of Stephen F. Austin State, 8-6, then rolled past Rampen and Cowieson of Louisiana-Lafayette, 8-3. The will take on Finkowska and Wentzel of host Lamar Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Fife, who hails from Los Alamos, New Mexico, also advanced to the semifinals in Flight C. Fife rolled past Meagan Cantu of Stephen F. Austin in her first collegiate match. She followed that up by coming from behind to defeat Kristen McElligot of Louisiana-Lafayette, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. She will face Emily Brasher of McNeese State in the semifinals Saturday at 10 a.m. Junior transfer
Eve Nickelson defeated Kristen Jobe of Lee College, 6-0, 6-1, in her first round
match in Flight B. Freshman Jessica
Brown fell in her first match in Flight C, but came back strong to win her
consolation quarterfinal match, 5-7, 6-4, (10-8).
Sophomore Mireya Villareal won her first match of the season, 6-1, 6-3
over Sara Wilson of Lamar in Flight C. Alana
Breen and Brown advanced to the consolation semifinals in Flight B Doubles with
an 8-3 win over Cantu and Johnson of Stephen F. Austin State. Play will wrap up at the Cardinal Courts in Beaumont on Saturday with matches beginning at 8:30 a.m. |