Date Posted: 4/21/2007

Johnson City, Tenn. - The Jacksonville Women were the first team to advance to the Championship round at the 2007 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Tennis Championships. The No. 1 seed Lady Dolphins ousted No. 5 seed Belmont by a score of 4-0.

The doubles point was closely contested with Jacksonville taking No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, and Belmont taking No. 3 doubles. Jacksonville's No. 1 doubles team of Emese Sulyos and Lena Willi defeated Belmont's April Bradley and Tatiana Pozo 9-7. In No. 2 doubles, JU's Tatiana Soldatova and Iva Jaresova beat Elizabeth Conyer and Katie Rhodes 8-5. Belmont's No. 3 team of Linda Johansson and Kelly Pence won 8-4 over Fernanda Carrero and Cristina Paira-Flor.

The singles matches were not as close as the doubles. Atlantic Sun Player of the Year, Emese Sulyos beat Linda Johansson of Belmont 6-1, 6-0. Iva Jaresova or JU served past April Bradley 6-2, 6-1. Cristinia Paiva-Flor defeated Kelly Pence 6-2, 6-0.

In the day's last women's match, the ETSU Lady Bucs are one step closer to defending their championship after a 4-2 victory against a tough Stetson squad that advanced ETSU to the finals of the the General Shale Brick Tennis Championships.

ETSU's No. 1 doubles team of Masha Ilina and Olya Batsula defeated Stetson's Anna Leonenko and Katherine Nowicki 8-3. No. 2 doubles was also won by ETSU with Yevgeniya Stupak and Elena Volobueva beating Samantha Lange and Valentina Galbarini 8-2. Stetson grabbed No. 3 doubles with Breanna Atkinson and Katherine St. Clair knocking off Tara Byrne and Vita Moskaliova 8-1.

Last season's A-Sun Player of the Year, Masha Ilina of ETSU, dropped No. 2 singles to Breanna Atkinson 7-6(7-5), 6-0. Stetson also won No. 6 singles with Samantha Lange beating Vita Moskaliova 6-4, 6-4. Olya Batsula took care of business in No. 3 singles for the Lady Bucs, capturing a 7-5, 7-5 win over Anna Leonenko. Elena Volobueva had a straight sets 6-2, 6-2 victory over Stetson's Catherine Canady. Tara Byrne's win at No. 4 singles clinched the match for ETSU. Yevgeniya Stupak and Valentina Galbarini were battling in No. 1 singles when the match was completed.

ETSU will play Jacksonville tomorrow for the Atlantic Sun Championship and an NCAA berth at 10 a.m.

Related Links:
 • Women's Championship Coverage