Zias Sweep St. Mary's, 9-0, Lose to Midwestern, 4-5, in Double-Header

PORTALES, NM – The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team split two matches at the ACU Wildcat Invitational, Saturday, March 29 in Abilene, Texas. ENMU easily defeated St. Mary’s University (Texas), 9-0, in the first match, but lost to Midwestern State University, 5-4, in the second match of the day. ENMU went 1-2 in the tournament and ended the weekend with a 5-3 overall record.

Against SMU, the Zias played superbly, winning all six singles matches and all three doubles matches. In the #1 doubles match, the Zia team of Lisa Weinman (Sr., Albuquerque, NM/West Mesa HS) and Bethanie Nix (Jr., Spring, TX/Newman Smith HS) had an easy victory over Sonya Ortiz and Monica Gonzalez, 8-2.

Eastern’s #2 doubles team of Rhiannon Torrez (Fr., Cedar Park, TX/Cedar Park HS) and Janelle Sanchez (So., Albuquerque, NM/Cibola HS) downed Thuy Phan and Alexis Carmona, 8-0. The #3 doubles match also was claimed by ENMU, as Sarah Salazar (Sr., Belen, NM/Saint Pius X HS) and Erica Kelly (Fr., Stockton, CA/Tokay HS) defeated Kristy McVea and Caroline Montgomery, 8-4.

The Zias took all six singles matches from St. Mary’s without losing a set. Weinman beat Ortiz, 6-2, 6-4, at #1 singles. In #2 singles, Nix defeated Monica Gonzalez, 6-0, 6-0. Torrez beat Carmona at #3 singles, 6-2, 6-0, while Sanchez disposed of her opponent, Phan, 6-1, 6-2, at #4 singles. Salazar and Kelly were impressive in the #5 and #6 matches, as they defeated Janet Sholles and Montgomery, 6-4, 6-1, and 6-0, 6-2, respectively.

In the loss to Midwestern, the Zias played well, but lost two of three doubles matches. Weinman and Nix defeated Kama Scott and Tiffany Burgess at #1 doubles, 8-2. Torrez and Sanchez were defeated by Emilee Black and Brooke Gray in a close match, 8-5, at #2 doubles. Salazar and Kelly lost #3 doubles, 8-1, to Shelly Stegner and Lacey Wuthrich.

Eastern took three of the six singles matches. The closest match occurred at #4 singles, where Sanchez of ENMU edged Wuthrich in a tie-breaker replacing the third set, 3-6, 7-6(4), 10-6. No other match went three sets.

Weinman was defeated by Gray, 6-4, 6-3, at #1 singles. Nix beat Stegner, 6-2, 6-1, at #2 singles, and Torrez defeated Scott, 7-5, 6-1, in the Zia’s remaining singles victory. Salazar lost to Black, 6-2, 6-1. The #6 singles match was claimed by Midwestern, as Burgess defeated Kelly, 6-3, 6-3.

The Zias will return to action on Apr. 4-5 in Tahlequah, Okla., for the Northeastern State University Tournament. Opponents and match times have not been announced.

College Women’s Tennis
March 29, 2003 • Abilene, Texas

Eastern New Mexico University 9 (5-2 Overall)
St. Mary’s University 0

Singles
#1 -- Lisa Weinman (ENMU) defeated Sonya Ortiz (SMU), 6-2, 6-4
#2 -- Bethanie Nix (ENMU) defeated Monica Gonzalez (SMU), 6-0, 6-0
#3 -- Rhiannon Torrez (ENMU) defeated Alexis Carmona (SMU), 6-2, 6-0
#4 -- Janelle Sanchez (ENMU) defeated Thuy Phan (SMU), 6-1, 6-2
#5 -- Sarah Salazar (ENMU) defeated Janet Sholles (SMU), 6-4, 6-1
#6 -- Erica Kelly (ENMU) defeated Caroline Montgomery (SMU), 6-0, 6-2

Doubles
#1 -- Weinman and Nix (ENMU) defeated Ortiz and Gonzalez (SMU), 8-2
#2 -- Salazar and Torrez (ENMU) defeated Phan and Carmona (SMU), 8-0
#3 -- Sanchez and Kelly (ENMU) defeated Kristy McVea and Montgomery (SMU), 8-4

March 29, 2003 • Abilene, Texas

Midwestern State University 5
Eastern New Mexico University 4 (5-3 Overall, 1-3 LSC)

Singles
#1 -- Brooke Gray (MSU) defeated Lisa Weinman (ENMU), 6-4, 6-3
#2 -- Bethanie Nix (ENMU) defeated Shelby Stegner (MSU), 6-2, 6-1
#3 -- Rhiannon Torrez (ENMU) defeated Kama Scott (MSU), 7-5, 6-1
#4 -- Janelle Sanchez (ENMU) defeated Lacey Wuthrich (MSU), 3-6, 7-6(4), 10-6*
#5 -- Emilee Black (MSU) defeated Sarah Salazar (ENMU), 6-2, 6-1
#6 -- Tiffany Burgess (MSU) defeated Erica Kelly (ENMU), 6-3, 6-3

Doubles
#1 -- Weinman and Nix (ENMU) defeated Scott and Burgess (MSU), 8-2
#2 -- Black and Gray (MSU) defeated Torrez and Sanchez (ENMU), 8-5
#3 -- Stegner and Wuthrich (MSU) defeated Salazar and Kelly (ENMU), 8-1

* Tie-breaker played instead of third set