Northeastern State Defeats ENMU, 5-0, in First Round of
NCAA Tournament

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Northeastern State University, ranked #14 in NCAA Division II, defeated Eastern New Mexico University, 5-0, in the first round of the Central Regional in the 2003 NCAA National Tournament, Friday, May 2, in Tahlequah, Okla. ENMU ended its season at 9-9 in NCAA Division II matches. NSU improved to 21-3 on the season.

NSU will take on Drury University (Mo.) in the Central Regional championship match on Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. (CDT). Drury defeated Cameron University, 5-1, in the other first round match. The winner of Saturday’s regional championship match will advance to the NCAA National Finals, May 8-11, in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The Zias fell behind 3-0 when NE State won all three doubles matches. ENMU gave the Lady Reds a solid battle in each of flight, but NSU held of the Zias each time.

Zorana Stefanovic and Neus Barbera of NSU defeated Lisa Weinman (Sr., Albuquerque, NM/West Mesa HS) and Bethanie Nix (Jr., Spring, TX/Newman Smith HS) at #1 doubles, 8-4. Berit Itschert and Holly McKee won #2 doubles over Rhiannon Torrez (Fr., Cedar Park, TX/Cedar Park HS) and Janelle Sanchez (So., Albuquerque, NM/Cibola HS) of ENMU, 8-3. In #3 doubles, Northeastern State’s team of Maja Nesic and Jennie Howard downed Sarah Salazar (Sr., Belen, NM/St. Pius X HS) and Erica Kelly (Fr., Stockton, CA/Tokay HS), 8-4.

NE State clinched the team victory by winning #1 singles and #6 singles. In the #1 singles match, Stefanovic defeated Weinman, 6-2, 6-1. At #6 singles, Howard rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Kelly, 6-3, 6-0. The remaining matches were stopped as soon as NSU clinched the overall win.

Stefanovic is ranked #4 in NCAA Division II in singles. Barbera and Stefanovic are ranked #10 in NCAA Division II in doubles.

Weinman and Nix concluded the season with a 15-5 record in doubles, Torrez and Sanchez finished at 16-4, and Salazar and Kelly fell to 7-11. In singles action, Weinman dropped to 8-12 and Kelly fell to 6-11. Nix remained 15-7 in singles, while Torrez stayed 15-4 and Sanchez continued at 11-6.

The first-round loss to NE State was the just the second first-round loss for Eastern New Mexico University in seven consecutive trips to the NCAA National Tournament. The Zias lost to Abilene Christian University in the first round in 1998. ENMU won the Midwest Regional in Edmond, Okla., in 2000, for the Zias’ first NCAA Regional title.

College Women’s Tennis

May 2, 2003
NCAA Division II Central Regional in Tahlequah, Oklahoma

(#14) Northeastern State University 5 (21-3 Overall)
Eastern New Mexico University 0 (9-9 Overall)

Singles
#1 -- Zorana Stefanovic (NSU) defeated Lisa Weinman (ENMU), 6-2, 6-1
#2 -- Bethanie Nix (ENMU) vs. Neus Barbera (NSU), Did not finish
#3 -- Rhiannon Torrez (ENMU) vs. Berit Itschert (NSU), Did not finish
#4 -- Janelle Sanchez (ENMU) vs. Maja Nesic (NSU), Did not finish
#5 -- Sarah Salazar (ENMU) vs. Holly McKee (NSU), Did not finish
#6 -- Jennie Howard (NSU) defeated Erica Kelly (ENMU), 6-3, 6-0

Doubles
#1 -- Stefanovic and Barbera (NSU) defeated Weinman and Nix (ENMU), 8-4
#2 -- Itschert and McKee (NSU) defeated Torrez and Sanchez (ENMU), 8-3
#3 -- Nesic and Howard (NSU) defeated Salazar and Kelly (ENMU), 8-4