Saturday, March 24, 2001

Johnson City, Tenn.-- The East Tennessee State women’s tennis team fell to Southern Illinois-Carbondale, 4-3 battle that literally went down to the final match.

ETSU (5-2, 2-0 SoCon) gained the momentum early, with Paty Vega defeating Erika Ochoa, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Mami Inoue defeating Ana Serrot, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. However, SIU took the next two matches as Alejandra Blanco defeated Jessica Irey, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles and Tara Trapani defeated Cara Prupas, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 4 singles. The two teams split the final two singles matches as ETSU’s Tatiana Arrarian defeated Rachel Meroles, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5 singles and Southern Illinois’ Sarah Karismantis defeated Aimee Villavicencio, 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.

The match would come down to the doubles point, and ETSU took the first doubles match as Vega and Inoue defeated Ochoa and Serrot, 8-4. But SIU came back to win the final two doubles matches to take the point and the match. Prupas and Arrarian fell to Blanco and Trapani, 8-1 and Irey and Villavicencio fell to Crandell and Karismantis, 8-3.

The Buccaneer women’s tennis squad returns to action Saturday, March 23 as they face Arkansas-Little Rock and Memphis from the Racquet Club of Memphis.