JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 5, 2009) - After spending the first two months of the season on the road the ETSU women's tennis team will open its quest for an Atlantic Sun Conference regular season championship with a pair of league matches this weekend. The Lady Bucs host conference foe Lipscomb with a 12:00 p.m., contest Friday, followed by 11:00 a.m., match Saturday at the Buddy Hartsell Tennis Center on the ETSU campus in Johnson City.

ETSU (1-3, 0-0 A-Sun) enters its home-opener after coming off a 4-1 loss at No. 65 Mississippi State last Saturday. During the contest the Lady Bucs held an early lead in three singles matches before inclement weather conditions came pouring in causing a second long delay forcing the match to be moved inside the Bulldogs McCarthy Gymnasium.

Individually, junior Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) comes into the match after earning her first A-Sun Player of the Week honor of the season Wednesday. After an impressive start to the season the unbeaten Stupak leads the league with an ITA singles ranking of No. 110th nationally. Overall, the preseason A-Sun Player of the Year boasts a 4-0 singles mark, while going 2-1 in doubles play. This weekend will also mark the last home opener for seniors Vita Moskaliova (Minsk, Belarus) and Tara Byrne (Johnson City).

Lipscomb (5-3, 0-0 A-Sun) enters its first conference match after falling at Western Kentucky 4-3, last Saturday. The Lady Bisons raced out to an early 2-0 lead; however the Hilltoppers rallied to take three out of the last four singles matches giving WKU the win. Individually, sophomore Kara Jackson leads the way for Lipscomb after winning her last two matches.

After playing USC Upstate in its league opener this Friday Belmont (5-2, 0-0) strolls into the Tri-Cities after winning five out of its last six matches. In its last contest the Bruins picked up a 5-2 decision against in-state non-conference foe Cumberland Feb. 27. Individually, the Bruins are led by freshman Abigail Hogan who is tied for the league lead in dual match wins with six.

Results will be available online at www.ETSUBucs.com after the conclusion of both matches.