WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (September 22, 2006) - The ETSU women's tennis team began play today in the Deacon Classic hosted by Wake Forest University. The Lady Bucs advanced three players in the first round of singles and two doubles teams in the first day of play. Action continues Saturday with the second and third rounds of singles play and the final round of doubles action.

In Flight A singles Olya Batsula (Minsk, Belarus) cruised to victory as she defeated Victoria Vaynberg of Syracuse, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round. She will advance to the quarterfinals where she will face No. 32 Alex Hirsch of host school Wake Forest.

Competing in Flight C singles, Elena Volobueva (Barcelona, Spain) defeated Kristin Messmer of Ohio State in a hard fought match, dropping the first set, 4-6, then battling back for the win with 6-3, 6-2 second and third sets. Volobueva will square off against Ashley Lipton of Syracuse.

Freshman Whitney Trotter (Guadalajara, Mexico) picked up her first collegiate win, defeating Danielle Murray of Dartmouth in Flight D singles, 7-6, 6-1. She advances to the quarterfinals where she will take on Sara Kinning of Ohio State.

In doubles action, senior Masha Ilina (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) defeated Christian Tara and Sasha Kulikova of Wake Forest 8-6, before defeating Edina Horvath and Lauren Hommell of Kansas, 8-4 in the semifinals. The duo will face Cecile Perton and Laura McGaffagin of Indiana in the Flight B finals.

In Flight C doubles, Elena Volobueva and Vita Moskaliova (Minsk, Belarus) had a first round bye before defeating Marah Calvo and Erin Clark of Indiana 9-8. They will square off against Kristin Messmer and Julia Voss of Ohio State in the semifinals.

"Overall we did some good things today," said head coach Steve Brooks. "We did good in the No. 1 draw and Elena played well again today. It was also very good for Masha and Yevgeniya to get a big win over the team from Wake Forest who won their bracket last weekend at Tennessee. We hope to come back tomorrow and improve on what we did today."

The Lady Bucs will continue play in the Deacon Classic Saturday at Wake Forest University. For more ETSU women's tennis action check www.etsubucs.com/wtennis.

ETSU Results

Singles

Flight A - Olya Batsula (ETSU) def. Victoria Vaynberg (Syracuse) 6-3, 6-2

Flight A - Yevgeniya Stupake (ETSU) bye

Flight B - Brianna Williams (IU) def. Tara Byrne (ETSU) 6-2, 6-3

Flight B - Julia Voss (OSU) def. Masha Ilina (ETSU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-0

Flight C - Elena Volobueva (ETSU) def. Kristin Messmer (OSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Flight C - Alba Berdala (IU) def. Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) 6-0, 6-0

Flight D - Whitney Trotter (ETSU) def. Danielle Murray (Dartmouth) 7-6, 6-1

Flight D - Erin Clark (IU) def. Brittany Stewart (ETSU) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles

Flight A - Blackmore/Mueller (OSU) def. Batsula/Byrne (ETSU) 8-5

                Spivakovsky/Piacente (UNCC) def. Batsula/Byrne (ETSU) 9-8

Flight B - Ilina/Stupak (ETSU) def. Tara/Kulikova (WF) 8-6

                Ilina/Stupak (ETSU) def. Horvath/Hommell (KU) 8-4

Flight C - Volobueva/Moskaliova (ETSU) bye

                 Volobueva/Moskaliova (ETSU) def. Calvo/Clark (IU) 9-8

Flight C - Stuckey/Abdala (IU) def. Trotter/Stewart (ETSU) 8-1

                 Trotter/Stewart (ETSU) bye