Tuesday, 05/22/2012

ATLANTA—Georgia State women’s tennis sophomore Abigail Tere-Apisah squares off against sophomore Katie Le from Santa Clara University to begin play at the 2012 NCAA Singles Championship on Wednesday at 11 a.m.

The NCAA released the entire draw for the tournament on Tuesday morning. This will be the first meeting in any setting for Tere-Apisah and Le, who are in the same quarter of the bracket as the No. 1-ranked player in the nation Allie Will of the University of Florida.

Fans have numerous ways to follow Wednesday morning’s match online. Live streaming video will be provided courtesy of the University of Georgia along with live stats. Fans can also engage with a live blog from Tere-Apisah’s match courtesy of www.GeorgiaStateSports.com.

Tere-Apisah owns a 17-1 record with four victories over nationally-ranked singles opponents this spring. She enters the NCAA Singles Championship on a six-match winning streak and as the No. 37-ranked player in the ITA Division I Women’s National Singles rankings. Adding in fall results, Tere-Apisah is 4-2 against nationally-ranked opponents with a narrow 7-6 (4), 1-6, 7-6 (4) loss to the No. 8 seed in the tournament, Georgia’s Chelsey Gullickson.

Le, the No. 1 player from Santa Clara, enters Wednesday’s contest with an 18-5 record and two wins vs. ranked opponents in the spring. She is ranked No. 60 in the nation and defeated five ranked opponents in the fall prior to the spring dual-match season. Like Tere-Apisah, Le was named the Player of the Year in her conference, the WCC, and will be the first women’s tennis player in school history to participate in the NCAA Singles Championship. Le was an at-large selection for the tournament.

Last week, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association named Georgia State women’s tennis sophomore Abigail Tere-Apisah as the 2012 Southeast Region Player to Watch. The ITA Player to Watch award singles out 12 players from their respective regions around the nation to earn the honor. The award recognizes a second-year player for their accomplishments so far in their career and for future potential. Tere-Apisah is now eligible to earn the National Player to Watch award which will be announced on Tuesday.

Tere-Apisah, who departed for Athens, Ga., on Monday, has spent the last month following the end of GSU’s spring season preparing for the tournament. Tere-Apisah’s preparation has been under the guidance of fifth-year head coach Miha Lisac. Visit www.GeorgiaStateSports.com for continuing coverage of Tere-Apisah’s play in the 2012 NCAA Singles Championship.