JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 12, 2007) - The ETSU women's tennis team picked up their eighth straight victory as they blanked the Winthrop Eagles, 7-0, on Senior Day. The Lady Bucs improve to 15-9 on the year, while Winthrop falls to 8-14.  

The Lady Bucs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as they swept the doubles. In the No. 1 position, Masha Ilina (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Olya Batsula (Minsk, Belarus) defeated Ana Paula Novaes and Paula Pereira, 8-4, while Tara Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Vita Moskaliova (Minsk, Belarus) downed Yelina Fadina and Laris Bekmetova in the third slot, 8-6. Competing in the No. 2 position Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Elena Volobueva (Barcelona, Spain) overcame Patricia Coimbra and Antoniya Bagaric, 9-7.

ETSU continued its domination as the Lady Bucs won four matches in straight sets. Yevgeniya Stupak defeated Patricia Coimbra, 6-1, 6-0 in the No. 2 position, while Olya Batsula blanked Antoniya Bagaric, 6-0, 6-0 in the third position. In the No. 4 slot, Tara Byrne cruised past Yelina Fadina, 6-1, 6-2, as Elena Volobueva breezed by Laris Bekmetova, 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 5 position.

Competing in the No. 1 position Masha Ilina split sets with Ana Paula Novaes before winning the tiebreaker, 6-4, 2-6, (3), while Vita Moskaliova split sets with Paula Pereira 4-6, 6-4, (8) in the sixth position.

"I never thought that we would beat Winthrop, 7-0. They have won their conference six years in a row and are a really good team and we have always struggled against them," said head coach Steve Brooks. "For the past three weeks the girls have been structuring their games and building on things and I think that we are in good shape for the conference tournament."

"I am just so proud that everyone played great on Senior Day and I'm really going to miss Masha," added Brooks.

The Lady Bucs are set to host the 2007 Atlantic Sun Tournament next weekend beginning on April 20. Follow all ETSU women's tennis action at www.etsubucs.com.

ETSU 7, WU 0

Singles

No. 1- Masha Ilina (ETSU) def. Ana Paula Novaes (WU) 6-4, 2-6, (3)

No. 2- Yevgeniya Stupak (ETSU) def. Patricia Coimbra (WU) 6-1, 6-0

No. 3- Olya Batsula (ETSU) def. Antoniya Bagaric (WU) 6-0, 6-0

No. 4- Tara Byrne (ETSU) def. Yelina Fadina (WU) 6-1, 6-2

No. 5- Elena Volobueva (ETSU) def. Laris Bekmetova (WU) 6-2, 6-1

No. 6- Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) def. Paula Pereira (WU) 4-6, 6-4 (8)

Doubles

No. 1- Ilina/Batsula (ETSU) def. Novaes/Pereira (WU) 8-4

No. 2- Stupak/Volobueva (ETSU) def. Coimbra/Bagaric (WU) 9-7

No. 3- Byrne/Moskaliova (ETSU) def. Fadina/Bekmetova (WU) 8-6