MACON, Ga. (March 13, 2009) – Just like they did last weekend in its first two Atlantic Sun Conference matches the ETSU women’s tennis team kept rolling in league play dropping conference foe Mercer 6-1, Friday afternoon at the LeRoy Peddy Tennis Center in Macon, Ga. With the win ETSU improves to 5-4 overall and 3-0 in A-Sun play, while Mercer falls to 2-7 overall and 0-2 in league action.

“Overall, today was another great performance by the girls,” said head coach Steve Brooks. “Our team is really focused on the goal that we set of winning an A-Sun championship and today we took another step in that direction. There are a lot of good teams in this conference and a lot of tennis to be played, but I’m proud of how are team is coming together as a unit and competing hard each time we take the court.”

The Lady Bucs took control early sweeping the doubles point for the early 1-0 lead.

As singles play opened junior Yevgeniya Stupak (Kyiv, Ukraine) picked up her 16 consecutive singles win dropping Jennifer Lada in No. 1 singles action 6-0, 6-1, while fellow upperclassman senior Tara Byrne (Johnson City) stayed unbeaten in A-Sun action by defeating Anna Wieslander, 6-2, 6-4.

After senior Vita Moskaliova (Minsek, Belarus) fell to Amalia Bugge, freshman Paula Jamie (Madrid, Spain) opened the Lady Bucs scoring gap dropping Priscilla Dias in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, while fellow newcomer Karina Kedzo (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela) moved to a 3-0 conference mark after making quick work of Stephanie Cohen, 6-1, 6-2.

Rounding out the scores for the Lady Bucs was sophomore Tara Sheets (Gate City, Va.), who continued to play well making dropping Irys Citko in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.

“Yevgeniya and Paula continue to play outstanding and Karina completely dominated in her singles match defeating her opponent in 35 minutes,” Brooks said. “Also I’m proud of Tara Sheets and how she has been playing the last couple of weeks. The girl she beat today played No. 1 singles for Mercer, at times, last season so that was a big win for her.“

The Lady Bucs returns to A-Sun play with an 11:00 a.m., contest Saturday morning at A-Sun rival Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Ga.

Singles

1. Yevgeniya Stupak (ETSU) def. Jennifer Lada (MER) 6-0, 6-1

2. Tara Byrne (ETSU) def. Anna Wieslander (MER) 6-2, 6-4

3. Amalia Bugge (MER) def. Vita Moskaliova (ETSU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-7

4. Paula Jamie (ETSU) def. Priscilla Dias (MER) 6-1, 6-3

5. Karina Kedzo (ETSU) def. Stephanie Cohen (MER) 6-1, 6-2

6. Tara Sheets (ETSU) def. Irys Citko (MER) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles
1. Stupak/Jamie (ETSU) def. Wieslander/Bugge (MER) 8-7 (7-3)

2. Byrne/Kedzo (ETSU) def.  Lada/Dias (MER) 8-4

3. Moskaliova/Sheets (ETSU) def. Cohen/ Herman (MER) 8-5

For more information on the ETSU women’s tennis program please visit www.ETSUBUCS.com