Raiders Take 4-0 Victory Over WKU

Friday, April 20

Denton, Texas

8:00 AM

Middle Tennessee

Western Kentucky

Photo by: Bradley Lambert

4/20/2007 10:34:00 AM | Women's Tennis

By: MT Media Relations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee won the first two completed doubles matches and Elvira Yusupova, Claudia Szabo and Hala Sufi all posted singles victories, as the sixth-seeded Blue Raiders won 4-0 over Western Kentucky Friday morning in the first round of the Sun Belt Championships in Denton, Texas. With the victory, Middle Tennessee (8-12) now faces 53rd-ranked South Alabama Friday at 3 p.m. in the quarterfinals at the Goldfield Tennis Center in Denton. Head coach Alison Ojeda said her club got off to a slow start but rebounded quickly to defeat the Lady 'Toppers in less than two hours. "We were really nervous in doubles, not moving our feet, and we weren't able to keep more than two balls in play," Ojeda said. "But we settled down after the first three or four games and took care of business." In doubles Pooja Kommireddi and Marlene Chemin defeated Holly Kell and Krystal Brown, 8-3, at No. 3 before Ann-Kristin Siljestrom and Stephanie Parkison won 8-2 over Brittany Waiz and Frances Trigg. In singles the Blue Raiders made quick work of WKU, taking victories at Nos. 1, 4 and 5. Elvira Yusupova was the first one off the court, posting a 6-0, 6-0, victory over Kell at No. 5 before 97th-ranked Sufi defeated Erin Fulkerson, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 1. Szabo's 6-0, 6-1, triumph over Trigg at No. 4 was the clincher. Middle Tennessee and South Alabama played once this season, with the then 49th-ranked Lady Jaguars winning, 5-2, in Murfreesboro on March 26. Middle Tennessee 4, Western Kentucky 0
SINGLES
1. (97) Hala Sufi (MT) def. Erin Fulkerson (WKU), 6-0, 6-0
2. Ann-Kristin Siljestrom (MT) led Christina Hall (WKU), 6-2, 5-0, DNF
3. Marlene Chemin (MT) led Brittany Waiz (WKU), 6-1, 2-1, DNF
4. Claudia Szabo (MT) def. Frances Trigg (WKU), 6-0, 6-0
5. Elvira Yusupova (MT) def. Holly Kell (WKU), 6-0, 6-0
6. Stephanie Parkison (MT) vs. Krystal Brown (WKU), 6-2, DNF
Order of Finish: 5,1,4*
DOUBLES
1. Sufi-Szabo (MT) led Fulkerson-Hall (WKU), 7-2, DNF
2. Siljestrom-Parkison (MT) def. Waiz-Trigg (WKU), 8-2
3. Pooja Kommireddi-Chemin (MT) def. Kell-Brown (WKU), 8-3
Order of Finish: 3,2*