March 5, 2001
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Western Kentucky's women's tennis team lost only two singles matches in a pair of 5-2 victories over Belmont and IUPUI in weekend action.
Therese Johannsen (Jr. /?sthammar, Sweden) improved to 4-3 on the year and snapped a three-match losing streak at No. 1 singles defeating Belmont's Alba Garcia 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday and IUPUI's Natalie Bednar 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday. Also perfect for Western in weekend play was Nino Kostava (Jr./ Ibilisi, Rep. of Georgia) at No. 3 singles, dispatching Belmont's Lidel Valera 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday and IUPUI's Amanda Valse 6-1, 6-1 Sunday. Kostava, who led Western with a 4-1 record in 2000 before being sidelined with back problems, leads Western with a 5-2 mark in singles play.
Western also dominated both opponents at the bottom of the lineup, where Olga Kosaka (Fr. / Liepaga, Latvia) and Amanda Cummins (So. / Bowling Green, Ky.) picked up their first two wins of the season at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Kosaka defeated the Bruins' Carrie Osborne 6-2, 6-1 and the Jaguars' Karen Durham 6-1, 6-2, while Cummins used an easy 6-1, 6-1 victory over Belmont's Kristina Mukhyison before battling IUPUI's Laura Stephens for a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 triumph.
In doubles play, the combo of Cummins and Jennifer Granger (So. / Newburgh, Ind.) picked up an 8-3 win over Belmont's team of Mukyisan and Katie Kelsey at No. 3 doubles on Saturday, while Johannsen and Kostava defeated IUPUI's Marise von Rensburg and Hillary Byard 8-3 at top doubles spot on Sunday. Western, however, lost two of three doubles matches against both the Bruins and Jaguars and failed to secure the doubles point against both.
Western was originally scheduled to play IUPUI on Saturday and Austin Peay on Sunday, but due to inclement weather the match with IUPUI was moved to Sunday. Western will reschedule with Austin Peay at a later date.
With the wins, Western improves to 4-3 on the season and will look to extend their winning streak Thursday against David Lipscomb at 2:30 p.m (CST) in Nashville.
