Sports Release
May 8, 1999

UCO DEFEATS ENMU FOR BERTH IN NATIONAL FINALS
EDMOND, OK — The University of Central Oklahoma women’s tennis team defeated Eastern New Mexico University, 5-0, in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional championship match, May 8 at the Edmond Racquet Club, to advance to the National Finals.

ENMU, ranked #19 in NCAA Division II, concluded the season with its best ever record at 20-9. Central Oklahoma, 19-5 on the season and ranked #11, will compete at the 16-team National Finals, May 13-16 in Pensacola, Fla.

Central Oklahoma swept the doubles flights, but won two of the three matches by slim margins. Sharon Lauver and Marina Erchova of UCO defeated Rozlyn Gorski (Sr., El Paso, TX/Coronado H.S.) and Makenzie McCravey (Fr., Eldorado, TX/Eldorado H.S.) at #2 doubles, 8-6.

Leticia Lozada and Jill Woodard of UCO defeated Sarah Pennington (Fr., Sweetwater, TX/Sweetwater H.S.) and Dena Boans (Sr., Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) at #3 doubles, 8-6.

The #1 doubles battle between Jana Vnouckova and Michaela Perlikova of UCO and Layla Turner (Fr., Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.) and Julie Stiles (Jr., Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.) of ENMU was won by UCO, 8-4.

The Bronchos clinched the Regional title by winning two singles flights. Erchova was victorious at #3 singles, defeating ENMU’s Gorski, 6-2, 6-1. Lozada won #5 singles over Pennington, 6-1, 6-2.

Eastern New Mexico completed an outstanding season that put the Zias in the Top 20 for the first time in school history. ENMU was ranked #21 after the fall season, but moved up to #19 in April. The Zias played 16 of 29 matches against teams ranked in the Top 40 at the time they played ENMU.