Women's tennis falls from glory


Losses to Baylor and LSU dampen shine of win streak

by Alex Chapman

The women's tennis team, soaring after three victories two weeks ago, crashed back down to Earth this weekend with losses to Louisiana State University and Baylor University.

The LSU Tigers took six of nine matches from the Owls, winning four of six singles matches and taking two of three doubles matches.

Winning for the Owls in number- one singles was Paula Myslivicek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 over the country's 65th- ranked player, Suzana Rodrigues. Winning in number-three singles was Jennifer Velasco 6-3, 7-5 over LSU's Valerie Mauney.

The other victory came from the number-three doubles team of Erin Talton and Velasco although the match was already decided at that point.

The Owls were ranked 43rd in the country before the match at Louisiana State, while LSU was ranked 47th. The Owls' ranking was due in large part to victories over 30th- ranked Texas A&M University and 37th-ranked University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The Owls now fall to six wins and seven losses on the season, and one win and two losses in the Southwest Conference.

Velasco won all four of her matches that week (number-three singles and number-three doubles), and Myslivecek won both of her singles matches.

But the effort was doomed by the four, five and six singles slots and the top two doubles teams. They went a combined zero for 10 on the week, sufficient to lose both matches even if the other spots won all of their matches.

The Owls competed against Texas Tech University Thursday, but results were not available at press time.


This item appeared in the Sports section of the March 29, 1996 issue.


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