Athletic Report
October 19, 2000

LAYLA TURNER WINS QUARTERFINAL MATCH AT ITA/ROLEX NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
MEMPHIS, TN — Eastern New Mexico University junior women’s tennis player Layla Turner (So., Casa Grande , AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.) defeated Anna Burakova of Dowling College (N.Y.), 6-2, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the ITA/Rolex NCAA Division II National Tournament in Memphis, Tenn. Turner advanced into the semifinals to take on #2-seeded Anzela Zguna of Rollins College (Fla.) on Friday, Oct. 20 at 9:00 a.m. (MDT). The championship match will also be played on Friday.

Burakova, a junior from Minsk, Belarus, dropped into the consolation bracket. She will play Evelina Akkers of Northeastern State (Okla.) on Friday. Zguna, from Liepaja, Latvia, defeated Akkers, 6-0, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.

In other quarterfinal action, top-seeded Petra Gaspar of BYU-Hawaii defeated Ana Skafar of Lees-McRae (N.C.), 6-1, 6-1, and Julia Roudkovskaya of Georgia College defeated Jennifer Garvey of Ferris State (Mich.), 6-2, 6-1. Gaspar will take on Roudkovskaya in the other winner’s bracket semifinal. Skafar will meet Garvey in the consolation semifinals.

The ITA/Rolex National Small College Tennis Championships feature some of the top players in NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, the NAIA and the NJCAA. Each division has singles and doubles brackets for men and women. The tournament continues through Oct. 22, ending with the Rolex “Super Bowl”, which matches the NCAA Division II national champions in singles and doubles against champions from NCAA Division III, the NAIA and the NJCAA.

The NCAA Division II National Tournament features the eight champions from ITA/ Rolex regional tournaments held earlier this fall. Turner won the ITA/Rolex Midwest Regional title for the second consecutive year, defeating Daniela Ivana of Southern Colorado in the championship match, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), on Sept. 30 in Abilene, Texas.

Last year, Turner placed 6th in singles at the NCAA Division II National Tournament. She has already clinched at least a 4th place finish this season.

In 1999, she also qualified for the National Tournament in doubles, and teamed with Julie Stiles (Sr. in 1999-00, Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.) to take 5th place. Turner did not qualify for the National Tournament in doubles this fall, but did reach the Regional title match with partner Bethanie Nix (Fr., Birmingham, AL/Newman Smith H.S.).