For Immediate Release: Friday, January 24, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director

LADY BRONCS GET FIRST WIN

BEAUMONT, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's women's tennis team earned their first victory of the season Friday afternoon.

The Lady Broncs defeated Alcorn State, 5-2, at the tennis courts at Lamar University.
Junior Jessica Brown (Sioux City, IA/North HS), sophomore Ana Pena (McAllen, TX/Nikki Rowe HS), and freshman Elysia Sloan (Duncanville, TX/Duncanville HS) each won twice.

Brown, who played for the first time this season after missing last week's match against Southern Methodist due to a schedule conflict, defeated Jessica Gross, 6-2, 6-3, at number six singles. She teamed with Sloan to defeat Fallon Davis and Gillespie, 8-2, at number three doubles. Sloan defeated Davis, 1-6, 7-5, (10-8) at number five singles. Pena defeated Sandra Keaveney, 6-3, 6-4 at number four singles, and teamed with senior Elisabet Mateos (Barcelona, Spain/Arnau Cadell HS/Laredo CC) to defeat Gross and Jackie Riddle at number one doubles, 8-5.It marked only the second time in the last seven matches that the Lady Broncs had earned a doubles point.

"I'm very proud of our team," said UTPA Assistant Coach Elizabeth Middleton. "It was very cold out, they all fought hard and played very well. I'm very pleased that we earned the doubles point. It was one of the few doubles points we've earned in a long time. We've worked hard on doubles, and it paid off. "

The Lady Broncs improved to 1-1 with the victory, while ASU fell to 0-1. Texas-Pan American will play Lamar and Houston Saturday.

WT-ASU-012403

UTPA RESULTS

DOUBLES

1-Elisabet Mateos and Ana Pena, UTPA, defeated Jackie Riddle and Jessica Gross, 8-5
2-Sandra Keaveney and Elena Rood, ASU, defeated Laura Boskovich and Kathryn Waslen, 8-5
3-Elysia Sloan and Jessica Brown, UTPA, defeated Fallon Davis and Gillespie, 8-2

SINGLES

1-Riddle, Alcorn State, defeated Mateos, 6-1, 7-5
2-Rood, Alcorn State defeated Waslen, 6-2, 6-3
3-Boskovich, UTPA, defeated Deya Balboa, 6 -0, 6-0
4-Pena, UTPA, defeated Keaveney, 6-3, 6-4
5-Sloan, UTPA, defeated Davis 1-6, 7-5, (10-8)
6-Brown, UTPA, defeated Gross, 6-2, 6-3