April 21, 2010

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis women's tennis squad will face the eighth-seed Southern Miss Golden Eagles in the first round of the 2010 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship on Thursday at 2 p.m., at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla.

The Lady Tigers come into Thursday's match with an overall mark of 12-16, marking the most dual victories they have picked up since the 2003 spring season. It is also the second-consecutive season in which the Lady Tigers have won 10 or more dual matches.

Memphis is led at the top of the singles lineup by senior Ashley Murdock, a back-to-back All-C-USA selection, and freshman Courtney Collins. Murdock comes into the match with Southern Miss with an overall record of 16-12, marking the most singles wins for the Lady Tiger netter in her three-year career. Murdock picked up a three-set victory over Vroni van Berlo of Southern Miss in the two school's last meeting on April 9 in Hattiesburg, Miss. The Golden Eagles won the match over the U of M, 5-2.

Collins comes into the first round of the tournament with a record of 16-9, tying Murdock for the most singles wins on the team in 2010. Collins also picked up a victory over Southern Miss in the two schools' April 9 encounter. The freshman from Fulton, Miss., upended Stephanie Dellocono, 6-3, 6-1.

In doubles, the pair of Murdock and Marjorie Ondeck have competed at the No. 1 slot for the Lady Tigers for the majority of the year. Murdock and Ondeck are 11-14 at the No. 1 position on the season. In the April 9 meeting, the pair fell to sisters Elja van Berlo and Vroni van Berlo, 8-5.

Also in doubles, Collins and fellow freshman Kelly Gray come into Thursday leading the team in doubles wins with 14 on the year. The pair has competed at both the No. 2 and No. 3 slots during the 2010 season.

The Golden Eagles enter competition in the 2010 C-USA Women's Tennis Championship with a 13-9 record. Vroni van Berlo, a freshman from Erp, The Netherlands, has a 10-11 mark at the No. 1 position. At the No. 2 spot, Dellocono, a junior from Baton Rouge, La., is 11-9 on the year.

In doubles, the van Berlo sisters are 9-11 at the No. 1 position coming into Thursday's action.

Memphis' last win over the Golden Eagles came on Mar. 28, 2009. The Lady Tigers upended Southern Miss, 4-1, at the University of Memphis Tennis Courts.

The winner of Thursday's match between Southern Miss and Memphis will advance to face No. 1-seed SMU on Friday at 2 p.m., at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa. SMU is currently ranked No. 27 in the nation. The Mustangs are led by Marta Lesniak, the 29th-best singles netter in the most recent Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings.