Tuesday, 05/15/2012

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss women’s tennis team downed Southern University 4-0 here Friday afternoon at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center/Galtney Courts in their NCAA Championship opener.  The Rebels advance to the second round to face Rice Saturday not before 3 p.m.

Earlier in the day, Rice rallied to upset No. 18 ranked Illinois 4-3 to earn their first ever win in the NCAA Championship.  The Illini won the doubles point and quickly went up in several singles matches before seeing Rice come back.  One of the matches Rice was able to turn around came at court two, where Dominique Harmath rallied to beat Illinois’ Michelle Kopinski to set up her teammate Kim Anicete’s match-clinching win on court five. 

Following that match high energy match, the Rebels took to the courts and wasted little time securing the doubles point with 8-1 wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles.

In singles, the Rebels jumped out quickly and never looked back.  Sophomore Vivian Vlaar didn’t drop a game to her opponent, Southern’s Camara Davis, at No. 6 singles.  Seniors Abby Guthrie and Kristi Boxx followed up with straight sets wins for the final 4-0 score.  Guthrie downed Morgan Taylor 6-0, 6-2 on court five and then Boxx finished off Carlista Mohammed 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1.