Women's tennis captures Classic
The team captured the title with punishing victories over its unfortunate guests from the University of New Mexico, Southeastern Louisiana University and Tulane University.
On March 11, the Owls posted a 6-0 victory over 45th-ranked New Mexico.
Freshman Paula Myslivecek began the Rice onslaught with a 6-3, 7-5 win over NMU's Megan Pye.
Junior Antonette Veloso drilled Angela Skrbic at second seed 6-1, 6-1, and Jackie Brown dumped Alicia Meraz 6-2, 6-2. The going was a bit more strenuous for senior Abby Daniels and freshman Jessica Gagnon.
Daniels outlasted Lobo fourth seed Natasha Klavora in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, while Gagnon struggled past Natasha Jones at the fifth spot, 7-6, 6-2.
Gagnon was down 5-2 in the first set, but pulled through to win the set in a tie-breaker.
"Somehow I regrouped myself -- that was a mental victory for me," she said.
Junior Blair Strassner also stumbled out of the gate, but recovered to ensure the sweep with a 7-6, 6-1 triumph.
On Saturday, the Owls made it low tide for the Green Wave with a 6-0 pounding of Tulane. Veloso took over first singles duties and whipped Danielle Dilloff 7-6, 6-1.
Myslivecek bowled over Ashley Stowe at second seed 6-2, 6-3, while Brown edged out Tulane's Joy DeCarvalho at the third spot, 7-5, 6-3.
Daniels held down fourth singles against Dina Berger, beating her in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, while Gagnon stopped Shannon Byrne in the fifth position, 7-5, 6-2.
Strassner worked overtime to secure a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 win over Tulane sixth seed Audrey Dumas.
"Everyone just pulled out some tough points," said Daniels, who was encouraged by her performance.
"I'm usually more focused when I play more than one day in a row."
The Owls wrapped up the title on Sunday with a 7-1 pasting of Southeastern Louisiana.
Myslivecek dropped a three-set heart-breaker to Renata Smekalova at first seed, but second-seeded Veloso came back for Rice to take care of Maria Faisal, 6-1, 6-2.
Brown eased past Claudia Anwender at third, 6-2, 6-1, while Daniels obliterated Noelia Garcia-Martin at fourth, 6-0, 6-0.
Gagnon stopped fifth-seeded Pia Petterson, 6-2, 6-1, and Rice's Olga Limón put on a clinic with a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing of Elizabeth Breaux at sixth seed.
The Owls also managed to squeeze in a pair of doubles wins before the match was clinched.
Gagnon and Limon rolled past Breaux and Garcia-Martin, while Strassner and Veloso tripped up Petterson and Faisal, 8-1.
"The fact that we won so decisively shows that we're not letting up," said Assistant Coach Emily Schaefer.
Rice cannot afford any lapses in focus with number-25 Florida State University rolling into town on Monday.
"Florida State is a big match for us, and the more people we can get to come out, the better," said Schaefer.
"That's going to be a great opportunity to improve our rank," said Gagnon.
This item appeared in the Sports section of the March 18, 1994 issue.
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