Sunday, March 16, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 16, 2008) - The ETSU women's tennis team dropped the Stetson Hatters, 4-3 in conference play on Sunday afternoon. With the victory the Lady Bucs improve to 9-5 overall and 5-0 in conference action while the Hatters fall to 6-8, 4-3.

In doubles Stetson claimed the point as the duo of Valentina Galbarini and Unnati Purushotham defeated Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Olya Batsul (Minsk, Belarus), 8-2 in the top position. In the No. 3 slot, Tara Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Andra Voinea (Brasov, Romania) dropped Anna Leonenko and Natalie Gorham, 8-5. In the second slot Katherine Nowicki and Breanna Atkinson claimed the points for the Hatters as they defeated Elena Volobueva (Barcelona, Spain) and Whitney Trotter (Guadalajara, Mexico), 8-5.

The Lady Bucs evened the score at 1-1 when junior Tara Byrne dropped Unnati Purushotham, 6-4, 6-2 in the No. 3 position and from there the Lady Bucs wouldn't look back as they won three straight matches to earn the victory. Senior Elena Volobueva was next off the court as she defeated Anna Leonenko, 6-4, 6-1 in the No. 5 slot as Yevgeniya Stupak defeated Valentina Galabarini, 6-2 in the first set before winning six straight games to take the second set 6-3. Senior Olya Batsula clinched the match for ETSU as she dropped Breanna Atkinson, 7-5, 6-3.

Stetson claimed their final two points to make the score 4-3 as Andra Voinea fell to Megan Jones, 2-6, 7-6(6), 10-7 while Vita Moskaliova (Minsk, Belarus) fell to Katherine Nowicki, 5-7, 7-6, 10-5.

"We came out a little flat today in doubles but I'm so proud of the way we played in singles, especially the play of our two seniors. Stetson is a very good team and they played us really tough," said  head coach Steve Brooks.

The Lady Bucs will continue Atlantic Sun play on March 21 as they host Florida Gulf Coast. The match is set to begin at 11 a.m. Follow all ETSU women's tennis action at www.ETSUBucs.com.

ETSU 4, Stetson 3

Singles

No. 1- #93 Yevgeniya Stupak (ETSU) def. Valentina Galbarini (STET) 6-2, 6-3

No. 2- Olya Batsula (ETSU) def. Breanna Atkinson (STET) 7-5, 6-3

No. 3- Tara Byrne (ETSU) def. Unnati Purushotham (STET) 6-4, 6-2

No. 4- Megan Jones (STET) def. Andra Voinea (ETSU) 2-6, 7-6(6), 10-7

No. 5- Elena Volobueva (ETSU) def. Anna Leonenko (STET) 6-4, 6-1

No. 6- Katherine Nowicki (STET) def. Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) 5-7, 7-6, 10-5

            Order of Finish: 3,5,1,2*,4,6

Doubles

No. 1- Galbarini/Purushotham (STET) def. Batsula/Stupak (ETSU) 8-2

No. 2- Nowicki/Atkinson (STET) def. Volobueva/Trotter (ETSU) 8-5

No. 3- Byrne/Voinea (ETSU) def. Leonenko/Gorham (STET) 8-5

            Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*