Saturday, May 12, 2001

FIU defeats Penn State to move on at NCAA Women's Tennis Regional

o. 25 FIU won the doubles point by taking two of three matches, then captured three singles matches in straight sets to beat Penn State (15-10), 4-0, in the opening round of the 2001 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

The Golden Panthers set a new school record with their 23rd win of the season, against just two defeats.

FIU won at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions in doubles to take the point. At No. 2, Alexandra Guzman and Cristina Campana won their 19th match of the spring season with a 9-7 victory over Penn State's Judy Wang and Janelle Perez.

In singles, Mari Toro, Mariana Faustinelli and Campana all won their matches in straight sets to secure the win for the Golden Panthers. Toro raised her spring singles record to 20-5, with the 6-3, 6-4 win over All-Big 10 selection Rebecca Ho.

FIU moves on to Sunday's 1:00 p.m. (ET) regional final against host Vanderbilt (22-4), the No. 6-ranked team in the nation, who beat Murray State, 4-0, in the other first round match. The winner of Sunday's match will advance to the Round of 16 in Stone Mountain, Ga.

Singles
1. Anneliese Rose (FIU) vs. Pilar Montgomery (PSU), 6-4, 5-4, DNF
2. Mari Toro (FIU) def. Rebecca Ho, 6-3, 6-4
3. Alexandra Guzman (FIU) vs. Judy Wang (PSU), 2-6, 5-6, DNF
4. Mariana Faustinelli (FIU) def. Janelle Perez (PSU), 7-6 (13), 6-2
5. Cristina Campana (FIU) def. Kristen Nowicki (PSU), 6-2, 7-5
6. Maria Montoya (FIU) vs. Leigh Ann Merryman (PSU), 4-6, 4-4, DNF

Doubles
1. Montgomery/Ho (PSU) def. Faustinelli/Rose (FIU), 8-5
2. Guzman/Campana (FIU) def. Wang/Perez (PSU), 9-7
3. Toro/Montoya (FIU) def. Merryman/Teresa Whiteside (PSU), 8-2