March 7, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis women's tennis team finished off a successful return to the University of Memphis tennis courts with a 7-0 sweep of the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks on Saturday. The Lady Tigers improve to 8-7 with the win. SEMO drops to 0-2 on the season with Saturday's loss. Memphis is now one win from meeting their win total last season. The Lady Tigers' eight wins marks the fastest the program has hit that milestone since the 2002-03 season.

The day's match began with the U of M sweeping the doubles matches. At the No. 1 position, Ashley Murdock and Marjorie Ondeck upended Julia Masotti and Elise Nattier, 8-0. Murdock and Ondeck improve to 3-3 during the spring dual season.

At the No. 2 spot, Amanda Brown and Sarah Irvin defeated Kara True and Brika Seabaugh, 8-0. Brown and Irvin's doubles record now stands at 3-0 so far this season.

At No. 3 doubles, Kristin Chamberlain and Dara Toulch evened their season record at 6-6 with a victory over Sara Pettigrew and Valentina Emiliani, 8-1.

In singles, Murdock, a junior from Memphis, Tenn., improved to 12-7 with a victory over Masotti, 6-0, 6-0.

In No. 2 singles, Ondeck, a junior from Monroe, Ct., upended Nattier, 6-2, 6-1. Ondeck's record now stands at 9-9 in her third season with the tennis program at the U of M.

At No. 3 singles, Irvin, a freshman from Queensland, Australia, picked up a 6-0, 6-0, straight-set sweep of True. With the win, Irvin moved her singles record in her first season with the Blue and Gray to 9-8.

At the No. 4 spot, Brown, a junior from Whitby, Ontario, took down Seabaugh, 6-0, 6-0, to improve to 5-10.

At No. 5 singles, Toulch, a junior from Montreal, Quebec, upended Pettigrew, 6-0, 6-0.

In No. 6 singles, Chamberlain, a senior from Memphis, Tenn., was victorious over Emiliani, 6-0, 6-0.

Memphis will head to California for Spring Break for matches against Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge and Loyola Marymount.