Oct. 18, 2002

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Freshman Sabita Maharaj of the University of Tennessee Lady Vol tennis team won a pair of matches on Friday at the June Stewart Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., to advance to the finals of the flight two singles tomorrow. Maharaj will face Mysti Morris of Georgia Tech at 10 a.m. The Gainesville, Fla., native reached the finals with two straight sets wins over Brittany Reity of Purdue and Carien Venter of Middle Tennessee State.

In other action, junior Tammy Encina lost her opening round match with No. 38 Jamie Wong of Georgia Tech in flight one, 6-2, 6-2. Encina bounced back with a 7-5, 6-1, victory over Megan Marton of Penn State in the consolation round. She will face Jessica Johnson of Maryland tomorrow at 9 p.m. in a battle for fifth place.

Freshman Melissa Schaub struggled in during day the first day play, suffering two straight set defeats to Ioana Paun of Clemson and Georgia Tech's Catherine Tsoubanos. She was scheduled to play Stacy Varnell of Middle Tennessee State, but Varnell withdrew from the match.

In flight four of the singles draw, sophomore Ashley Robards won a three setter over Anneleis Schenk of Georgia Tech, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, but fell in her next match to Vanderbilt's Ashley Schellhas, 6-1, 6-2. Robards will square off with Lara Burgarello of Purdue at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Sophomore Breanna Kray registered a win in her opening round matchup in flight five with Georgia Tech's Sekitu Grant, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3. Kray dropped her next match with Missy Wright of Purdue, 6-3, 6-3. She will face Shannon Stafford of Kentucky tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.

Also appearing in flight five was sophomore Claudia Farace, who lost both of her matches on Friday. She fell to Danielle Hock of Marshall, 6-4, 6-4, and then dropped a three set match with Penn State's Judy Wang, 6-0, 4-6, 6-0. Farace will play Grant of Georgia Tech for her final match of the weekend tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.

Doubles play will begin tomorrow as well at the June Stewart Invitational. Maharaj and Encina will take on the 10th-ranked duo of Varnell and Kruse of Middle Tennessee State at 1 p.m. in the first flight, while Robards and Schaub will tangle with Purdue's Iqbal and Woods at 1:30 p.m. in flight two.

Friday's Results:

Flight 1: #38 Jamie Wong (Georgia Tech) def. Tammy Encina (UT) 6-2, 6-2

Flight 1 Consolation: Tammy Encina (UT) def. Megan Marton (Penn State) 7-5, 6-1

Flight 2: Sabita Maharaj (UT) def. Brittany Reity (Purdue) 6-0, 6-3

Flight 2: Sabita Maharaj (UT) def. Carien Venter (MTSU) 6-4, 6-3

Flight 3: Ioana Paun (Clemson) def. Melissa Schaub (UT) 6-2, 6-3

Flight 3 Consolation: Catherine Tsoubanos (Georgia Tech) def. Melissa Schaub (UT) 7-5, 6-3

Flight 4: Ashley Robards (UT) def. Anneleis Schenk (Georgia Tech) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

Flight 4: Ashley Schellhas (Vanderbilt) def. Ashley Robards (UT) 6-1, 6-2

Flight 5: Danielle Hock (Marshall) def. Claudia Farace (UT) 6-4, 6-4

Flight 5 Consolation: Judy Wang (Penn State) def. Claudia Farace (UT) 6-0, 4-6, 6-0

Flight 5: Breanna Kray (UT) def. Sekitu Grant (Georgia Tech) 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3

Flight 5: Missy Wright (Purdue) def. Breanna Kray (UT) 6-3, 6-3

Saturday's Schedule:

Singles

Flight 1: Tammy Encina (UT) vs. Jessica Johnson (Maryland) 9 a.m.

Flight 2: Sabita Maharaj (UT) vs. Mysti Morris (Georgia Tech) 10 a.m.

Flight 4: Ashley Robards (UT) vs. Lara Burgarello (Purdue) 10:30 a.m.

Flight 5: Claudia Farace (UT) vs. Sekitu Grant (Georgia Tech) 11:30 a.m.

Flight 5: Breanna Kray (UT) vs. Shannon Stafford (Kentucky) 11:30 a.m.

Doubles

Flight 1: Maharaj/Encina (UT) vs. #10 Varnell/Kruse (MTSU) 1 p.m.

Flight 2: Robards/Schaub (UT) vs. Iqbal/Woods (Purdue) 1:30 p.m.