Wednesday, September 17, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (September 17, 2008) - After a exceptional opening fall tournament, last weekend, the ETSU women's tennis looks to continue its success as they host the 25th annual ETSU Fall Classic, this Saturday and Sunday.

The two-day event will be played at the Buddy Hartsell Tennis Complex on the campus of ETSU and at the Mathes Tennis Center at nearby Milligan College.

A total of 25 teams will compete in the tournament that features 300 matches. Notable teams include Appalachian State (ASU), Carson Newman (CNC), Cumberland (CU), King College (King), Lincoln Memorial (LMU), Milligan College (MC), Radford (RU), Tusculum (TC), USC Upstate (USCU), UNC Asheville (UNCA), UVA-Wise (Wise) and Western Carolina (WCU).

The Bucs are coming off of an impressive start to their fall season at the USC Upstate Fall Classic, last Friday and Saturday. Leading the way was junior Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) who defeated defending Atlantic Sun Player of the Year Anna Novo of USC Upstate, 6-1, 6-1. Stupak, the No. 63rd ranked player in the nation by the ITA, took top honors in her bracket, however she wasn't the only Buc to shine.

Also picking up big wins for ETSU was senior Tara Byrne (Johnson City), freshmen Karina Kedzo (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) and Paula Jamie (Madrid, Spain). Byrne won her consolation bracket, while Kedzo and Jamie picked up their first collegiate wins over the weekend.

In doubles action ETSU proved to be just as strong, as both Bucs teams reached the finals. The team of Byrne and Kedzo defeated Upstate's team of Novo and Milovanovic 8-6, while the duo of Stupak and Jamie defeated Charleston Southern's team of Schutte and Plecter 8-1.

Attached is the 25-page tournament's bracket. For information throughout the weekend please visit tournament central at www.ETSUBUCS.com.