Athletic Report
April 5, 2002

ZIAS UPEND 15TH-RANKED GRAND CANYON
PORTALES, NM – The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team, ranked #31 in NCAA Division II, defeated Grand Canyon University, ranked 15, by a final score of 6-3, at the Zia Tennis Complex on Friday, April 5. ENMU improved to 8-2 on the season. GCU dropped to 10-7.

Eastern’s doubles team of Lisa Weinman (Jr., Albuquerque, NM/West Mesa H.S.) and Sarah Pennington (Sr., Sweetwater, TX/Sweetwater H.S.) provided the Zias with a key win at #1 doubles. They defeated Robyn Jaeger and Nikita Bhardwaj, 8-4. Jaeger and Bhardwaj entered the match ranked #19 in NCAA Division II. Pennington won a lengthy match at #5 singles, as she rallied past Sarah Mitchell, 3-6, 7-5, 12-10. She played a 10-point tie-breaker with Mitchell instead of a full third set due to impending darkness at the Zia Tennis Complex. Even so, it took more than 10 points to win the tie-breaker.

Layla Turner (Sr., Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.), currently ranked 37th in NCAA Division II, defeated Bhardwaj, 6-1, 6-4, at #1 singles. Bethanie Nix (So., Spring, TX/Newman Smith H.S.) won a 3-set decision from Christina Klokinis at #2 singles, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. ENMU’s other wins came at #3 doubles, where Turner and Sarah Salazar (Jr., Belen, NM/Saint Pius X H.S.) defeated Mitchell and Karen Cervantez, 8-2, and at #6 singles, where Salazar edged Cervantez in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

The Zias remain at home on Saturday, April 6, for two matches against Lone Star Conference opponents. Eastern will take on Midwestern State University at 9:00 a.m. (MST) and will play Tarleton State University at 2:00 p.m. (MST). MSU defeated TSU, 7-2, at the Zia Tennis Complex on Friday, April 5.

(#31) Eastern New Mexico University 6, (#15) Grand Canyon University 3
SINGLES
#1 -- Layla Turner (ENMU) defeated Nikita Bhardwaj (GCU), 6-1, 6-4
#2 -- Bethanie Nix (ENMU) defeated Christina Klokinis (GCU), 7-5, 2-6, 7-5
#3 -- Christine LiWanPo (GCU) defeated Lisa Weinman (ENMU), 6-0, 7-5
#4 -- Robyn Jaeger (GCU) defeated Janelle Sanchez (ENMU), 6-1, 6-4
#5 -- Sarah Pennington (ENMU) defeated Sarah Mitchell (GCU), 3-6, 7-5, 12-10*
#6 -- Sarah Salazar (ENMU) defeated Karen Cervantez (GCU), 6-4, 6-4
DOUBLES
#1 -- Weinman and Pennington (ENMU) defeated Jaeger and Bhardwaj, 8-4
#2 -- Klokinis and LiWanPo (CGU) defeated Nix and Sanchez (ENMU), 6-3
#3 -- Turner and Salazar (ENMU) defeated Mitchell and Cervantez (GCU), 8-2 * Tie-breaker played instead of third set