Sunday, March 07, 2004

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Mar. 7, 2004) - The East Tennessee State women's tennis team won their first SoCon match of the season against Elon Sunday, 5-2. The Bucs improved to 8-6 overall, 1-0 in SoCon with the win, while the Phoenix drop to 5-0, 0-1. "It's always good to get our first SoCon victory," said head coach Steve Brooks. "Elon is a good team and a good addition to the Southern Conference. I have a lot of respect for coach Parham and for the program he has built over the last 14 years." In doubles action, ETSU saw wins from the pairs of Sylwia Ziolkowska (Warsaw, Poland) and Mariya Ilyina (Kyiv, Ukraine), and Gemma Halim (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Jessica Irey (Clewiston, Fla.). Ziolkowska and Ilyina defeated Elon's Melissa Holland and Elizabeth Kristofak in the No. 2 slot, 8-0. In the No. 3 doubles, Halim and Irey defeated the Phoenix's Elizabeth Kernodle and Kelly Fleck, 8-3. ETSU's loss in doubles came at the No. 1 slot. Courtney McInnis (Waterboro, Maine) and Jewel Aldea (Charleston, S.C.) went 8-3 in the loss to Evin Prelec and Jennifer Fulmer. Brooks commented, "We played good doubles except at the No. 1 position. We were flat and did not concentrate." In singles play, ETSU tallied wins from Ziolkowska (6-3, 7-5) at No. 2, Halim (6-2, 7-6 (11)) at No. 3, Irey (6-0, 6-1) at No. 4, and Ilyina (6-1, 6-1) at No. 5. The Phoenix's two points came from wins at the No. 1 slot from Prelec (3-6, 6-3, 6-3) and at the No. 6 slot from Fleck (6-0, 6-4). "At singles the winds still bothered us," said Brooks. "However, we were able to adjust better today." Elon will travel to Greenville, N.C. to face Eastern Carolina on March 9 at 2:00 p.m., while the Bucs travel to Rock Hill, S.C. for a match against Winthop University on March 9 at 1:00 p.m. ETSU 5, Elon 2 Doubles: 1. Evin Prelec/Jennifer Fulmer (Elon) def. Courtney McInnis/Jewel Aldea (ETSU) 8-3 2. Sylwia Ziolkowska/Mariya Ilyina (ETSU) def. Melissa Holland/Elizabeth Kristofak (Elon) 8-0 3. Gemma Halim/Jessica Irey (ETSU) def. Elizabeth Kernodle/Kelly Fleck (Elon) 8-3 Order of finish: 2, 3, 1 Singles: 1. Evin Prelec (Elon) def. Courtney McInnis (ETSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 2. Sylwia Ziolkowska (ETSU) def. Elizabeth Kernodle (Elon) 6-3, 7-5 3. Gemma Halim (ETSU) def. Jennifer Fulmer (Elon) 6-2, 7-6 (11) 4. Jessica Irey (ETSU) def. Elizabeth Kristofak (Elon) 6-0, 6-1 5. Mariya Ilyina (ETSU) def. Melissa Holland (Elon) 6-1, 6-1 6. Kelly Fleck (Elon) def. Jewel Aldea (ETSU) 6-0, 6-4 Order of finish: 4, 5, 6, 2*, 1, 3 * - Clinching Point