February 26, 2002

LADY PALADINS TOP NEW MEXICO, 6-1

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The University of New Mexico women's tennis team played for the first time in nine days and couldn't shake off the rust against Furman, falling to the Lady Paladins, 6-1. New Mexico falls to 4-5 on the season while Furman improves to 5-1 overall.

The match at the Lobo Tennis Club started off with three tough doubles matches. Lobo sophomore Tjasa Suvak and junior Rachel Hatley were looking for their team-high 13th doubles win of the season, but came up short against Megan Dunigan and Natalie The, losing 8-6 at the top spot. Robertson and sophomore Sandy Lukowski tried to counter for the Lobos at the No. 2 position but fell to Furman's Mary Kovarik and Caroline Bentley (8-6). Sophomore Maria Ruiz-Fabrega and freshman Regula Comtesse lost to Gene Holman and Mary Neill Hagood at the No. 3 doubles, 9-8, giving the doubles point to the Paladins.

In singles action, Suvak went up against Dunigan, the three-time Southern Conference Player of the Year, at the No. 1 position and fell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Lukowski dropped her match to Kovarik, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 2 position. Lobo senior captain Courtney Choate tried to keep UNM alive in the deciding match but she couldn't hold on against Hagood, losing (6-3, 6-2).

Furman next heads to Las Vegas to take on a talented field in the UNLV Spring Invitational. The Lady Paladins will compete in an eight-team dual match tournament that includes a possible matches with #51 Tulsa, #6 Wake Forest, #38 South Alabama, #54 UNLV, Boston College, UC-Santa Barbara, and New Mexico.

Furman 6, New Mexico 1
February 26, 2002
Singles Results
1. Megan Dunigan (FU) d. Tjasa Suvak (UNM) - 6-3, 6-3
2. Mary Kovarik (FU) d. Sandy Lukowski (UNM) - 6-1, 6-4
3. Gene Holman (FU) d. Michelle Heidbrink (UNM) - 7-6, 6-0
4. Mary Neill Hagood (FU) d. Courtney Choate (UNM) - 6-3, 6-2
5. Tiffany Robertson (UNM) d. Natalie The (FU) - 6-3, 7-5
6. Caroline Bentley (FU) d. Regula Comtesse (UNM) - 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Doubles Results
1. Dunigan/The (FU) d. Suvak/Hatley (UNM) - 8-6
2. Kovarik/Bentley (FU) d. Lukowski/Robertson (UNM)- 8-6
3. Holman/Hagood (FU) d. Ruiz-Fabrega/Comtesse (UNM) - 9-8