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For Immediate Release 17 April 2003
MARYVILLE
– Southwest Baptist’s women’s tennis team will
compete in the 22nd Annual Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics
Association Women’s Tennis Championships this weekend
in Maryville. The tournament is scheduled to start on Friday,
April 18 and run through Saturday, April 19.
The Lady Bearcats enter the weekend with a 5-16 overall record.
SBU is tied for third with Missouri Southern and Truman in
the conference standings with a 3-3 MIAA record.
“We have had some good results this year in conference,”
said SBU Head Coach Ray Still. “We have beat two teams
that beat us last year.”
The Lady Bearcats have played most of the season with only
five players because of a season-ending injury to Brielyn
Toler. Due to the lack of numbers, SBU cannot play the third
flight of doubles nor the sixth flight of singles, in essence
putting the Lady Bearcats down 0-2 before the match starts.
However, SBU has battled through and still come up with wins.
“I think we have overcome a lot of obstacles this season,”
Still said. “We are very fortunate to not have undergone
any further injury. The girls have a lot of confidence in
themselves, and I do, too.”
The Lady Bearcats lost to MIAA foes Missouri Southern (6-3),
Washburn (8-1) and Northwest Missouri State (8-1). However,
SBU defeated Truman (5-4), Emporia State (5-4) and Missouri
Western (7-0).
“We are going to in there like we have every match this
year,” Still said. “We are going to work on the
little things we need to work and improve upon, and let the
match take care of itself. We are by far the youngest team
in the conference and our girls have improved throughout the
course of the season. The girls have gained some valuable
experience that will help us in the future as well as this
weekend.”
The Lady Bearcats are led by freshman Iza Ferreira. She is
ranked No. 5 in the North Central Region. She has won 15 straight
singles matches and is 15-1 this season. She and her doubles
partner, Valerie Jones, are raked No. 7 in the North Central
Region.
SBU went 1-4 last weekend at the Central Oklahoma Broncho
Invitational in Edmond, Okla. The Lady Bearcats defeated East
Central, 5-4. SBU lost to Midwestern State (5-0), Central
Oklahoma (4-3), Incarnate Word (5-0) and
Rockhurst (5-2).
Northwest Missouri State leads the team title race with eight.
Truman has four, Washburn three and Missouri Southern one.
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