Athletic Report
April 28, 2000

ZIAS DOWN MIDWESTERN STATE IN LSC SEMIFINALS
ENMU, ACU to Battle for Conference Title
WICHITA FALLS, TX — Eastern New Mexico University, ranked #13 in NCAA Division II, edged Midwestern State University, ranked #18, 5-3, in the semifinals of the Lone Star Conference Tennis Championships, Apr. 28 in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The Zias improved to 14-3 overall and earned a berth in the LSC title match this afternoon against Abilene Christian University. ACU defeated Northeastern State University (Okla.), 5-0, in the other semifinal match.

ENMU, seeded #2, and Abilene Christian, seeded #1, will play the championship match at 1:00 p.m. (MDT). The winner will claim the 1999-2000 LSC Championship. Regardless of the outcome, it will be Eastern’s best ever finish at the LSC Tennis Championships. ENMU finished 3rd in 1994-95 and 1995-96. MSU, 13-5, will play Northeastern State for third place.

In the match with Midwestern State, the Zias won #1 and #2 doubles to take a 2-1 lead heading into singles play. Layla Turner (So., Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.) and Julie Stiles (Sr., Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.), ranked #12 nationally in doubles, easily defeated Marci Matthews and Kristen Bixby, 8-2, in the #1 doubles match.

The key match of the morning may have been #2 doubles, where ENMU’s Lisa Weinman (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/West Mesa H.S.) and Sarah Pennington (So., Sweetwater, TX/Sweetwater H.S.) slipped past Brooke Gray and Emilee Black in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (7-4).

Midwestern State won #3 doubles, as Marsha Meyer and Sara Butler defeated Mandy Wells (Fr., Pampa, TX/Pampa H.S.) and Sarah Salazar (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.), 8-6. ENMU clinched the victory by winning three singles flights.

Turner led the way with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Matthews at #1 singles. Weinman lost the first set against Meyer, but rallied for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 triumph at #3 singles. Pennington won #4 singles in straight sets, taking the second set in a tie-breaker. She defeated Bixby, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3). Midwestern State won #2 and #5 singles. Gray rallied past Stiles in three sets at #2 singles, claiming a 1-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory. Black won #5 singles, 6-0, 6-2, over Wells.