Sept. 27, 2002

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga.

The University of Tennessee Lady Vol tennis team recorded three singles victories and two wins in doubles on Friday during the first day of competition at the adidas Tournament in Peachtree City, Ga. The tourney will continue tomorrow with two rounds of singles and doubles play.

In draw A of the singles, senior Vilmarie Castellvi, who is the nation's No. 1-ranked player this fall, cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexis Gordon of Florida. UT's other three competitors in the draw, junior Tammy Encina and freshmen Sabita Maharaj and Melissa Schaub, all dropped their first round matches.

Senior Crystal Cleveland and sophomore Ashley Robards picked up straight set wins in the B draw of the singles, with Cleveland defeating Susie Abromeit of Duke 6-3, 6-2, and Robards taking out Notre Dame's Liz Donohue 6-2, 7-6. Robards went on to lose her second round match by a 6-2, 6-1 count to Julia Smith of Duke. Sophomores Claudia Farace and Erin Cohn, and freshman Megan Kerr all dropped straight set matches in the first round of the draw.

The doubles tandem of Encina and Maharaj proved to be the right combination in the first round of the A draw, as the pair recorded an 8-4 triumph over Sarah Connelly and Jennifer Smith of Notre Dame. Cleveland and Robards picked up an 8-6 win over Cerene Reyes and Jennifer Magley of Florida in the doubles B draw as well.

Singles-Draw A:
Cerene Reyes (Florida) def. Tammy Encina (UT) 6-4, 6-0
Jennifer Magley (Florida) def. Sabita Maharaj (UT) 6-4, 6-0
Vilmarie Castellvi (UT) def. Alexis Gordon (Florida) 6-2, 6-1
Amanda Johnson (Duke) def. Melissa Schaub (UT) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

Singles-Draw B:
Emily Neighbours (Notre Dame) def. Claudia Farace (UT) 6-2, 6-4
Kelly Nelson (Notre Dame) def. Megan Kerr (UT) 6-1, 6-2
Crystal Cleveland (UT) def. Susie Abromeit (Duke) 6-3, 6-2
Sarah Connelly (Notre Dame) def. Erin Cohn (UT) 6-2, 6-2
Ashley Robards (UT) def. Liz Donohue (Notre Dame) 6-2, 7-6
Julia Smith (Duke) def. Ashley Robards (UT) 6-2, 6-1

Doubles-Draw A:
Tammy Encina/Sabita Maharaj (UT) def. Sarah Connelly/Jennifer Smith (Notre Dame) 8-4

Doubles-Draw B:
Crystal Cleveland/Ashley Robards (UT) def. Cerene Reyes/Jennifer Magley (Florida) 8-6