March 25, 2007

HOUSTON (SMU) - After dancing around the weather, other tennis match schedules and finding indoor courts, the SMU women's tennis team and Rice finally started their match five hours after the original start time. The match went into the early hours of the morning, but the Mustangs were able to maintain Rice for the, 4-1, win. The Mustangs advance to 12-4 on the season and 2-1 in Conference USA play.

SMU notched the doubles point as Natalia Bubien and Claire Rietsch outlasted Julie Chao and Tiffany Lee, 8-5, at the No. 1 spot. The Mustang's No. 2 pair of Jennifer Chay and Pavi Francis clinched the doubles point with a, 8-5, win over Dominique Karas and Rebecca Lin. Kristin Reid and Monica Neveklovska did not finish their match with Christine Dao and Kimberley Patenaude at No. 3 singles, but the Mustangs were ahead, 6-5, when it was called.

Francis topped Karas at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 6-4, while Chay played solid to hold off Dao at No. 2, 6-3, 7-5. Rice's Braid notched their only point as Reid took the first set at No. 6, but was unable to get past her as Reid fell, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4. Rietsch posted her fourth consecutive singles win as she clinched the match for the Mustangs with a three set win over Lee at No. 3. Rietsch powered past Lee, 7-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3. Bubien was battling strong with Chao at No. 1 singles. After splitting sets, the two were tied in the third set when the match was called. Georgiana Marta was also fighting into her third set with Lin at No. 5 singles, when the match was called. Neveklovska played No. 7 singles and demanded a, 6-1, 6-1, win over Veronica Sagastegui.

SMU returns home for a five-match home stand beginning with a double-header on March 31 featuring Louisiana-Lafayette at 9:00 a.m. followed by PVAMU at 1:00 p.m. Both matches are at the Garland Tennis Center. The Mustangs will face Arkansas, Texas-Pan Am and Santa Clara before embarking on a short road trip to North Texas. SMU will return home to close out their regular-season schedule against UTEP before heading to the C-USA Championships.

Tennis Match ResultsSMU vs Rice UniversityMar 24, 2007 at Houston, TX
SMU 4, Rice University 1
  Singles competition1. Julie Chao (RICE) vs. Bubien, Natalia (SMU) 3-6, 7-6, 6-6, unfinished2. Chay, Jennifer (SMU) def. Christine Dao (RICE) 6-2, 7-53. Rietsch, Claire (SMU) def. Tiffany Lee (RICE) 7-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-34. Francis, Pavi (SMU) def. Dominique Karas (RICE) 6-4, 6-45. Rebecca Lin (RICE) vs. Marta, Georgiana (SMU) 7-5, 6-7, 2-2, unfinished6. Emily Braid (RICE) def. Reid, Kristen (SMU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-47. Monica Neveklovska (SMU) def. Veronica Sagastegui (RICE), 6-1, 6-1
  Doubles competition1. Bubien, Natalia/Rietsch, Claire (SMU) def. Julie Chao/Tiffany Lee (RICE) 8-52. Chay, Jennifer/Francis, Pavi (SMU) def. Dominique Karas/RebeccaLin (RICE) 8-53. Christine Dao/Kimberley Patenaude (RICE) vs. Reid,Kristen/Neveklovska, Monica (SMU) 5-6, unfinished
Match Notes:Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,2,6,3)T-4:15