Tuesday, March 11, 2003

FIU snaps skid with 7-0 whitewash of Southern Illinois

photo by Geoff Anderson Junior Mei Ly beat SIU's Alejandra Blanco, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 1 singles, then teammed with Bruna Discordia to win the No. 1 doubles match as FIU snapped a three-match losing streak and shut out Southern Illinois, 7-0, on the University Park courts.

he Golden Panthers stopped a three-match losing streak while recording their first shutout of the season in beating Southern Illinois (2-6), 7-0, Tuesday at University Park.

FIU (4-9) easily handled the Salukis, winning every match played. In doubles, Mei Ly and Bruna Discordia made quick work of SIU's sister tandem of Alejandra and Maria Blanco, 8-1, at No. 1.

FIU's Desanka Jovanovac and Christine Suard took care of Zuzana Palovic and Sophie Bedard, 8-2, at No. 2 and Courtney Jonson and Davina Duronio beat Jessica Knitter and Zoya Honarmand, 8-1, at No. 3.

The Golden Panthers were just as effective in singles, where they won in straight sets across the board. At No. 1, Ly beat Alejandra Blanco, 6-0, 6-4 with Discordia dispatching the younger Blanco, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 2.

At No. 3, it was Jovanovic over Knitter, 6-3, 6-2; Suard was victorious over Palovic at No. 4, 6-1, 6-1; and Duronio beat Bedard at No. 5, when the Saluki retired after falling behind 1-0 in the second set, following a 6-1 setback to Duronio in the first. Jonson completed the sweep with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Honarmand, at No. 6.

The loss was the second straight on SIU's three-match Southern road swing.

FIU now prepares for a three-match road swing through the state of Arizona beginning this weekend. The Golden Panthers play a neutral-court contest in Tempe, Ariz., against Penn State this Saturday, March 15, before taking on No. 7-ranked Arizona State on Saturday.

The trip concludes next Tuesday, March 18 in Tucson, Ariz., on the home court of No. 27 Arizona.

Final: FIU 7, Southern Illinois 0 Miami, Fla. Doubles 1. Discordia/Ly (FIU) def. A. Blanco/M. Blanco (SIU) 8-1. 2. Suard/Jovanovic (FIU) def. Palovic/Bedard (SIU) 8-2. 3. Duronio/Jonson (FIU) def. Knitter/Honarmand (SIU) 8-1. Singles 1. Mei Ly (FIU) def. Alejandra Blanca (SIU) 6-0, 6-4. 2. Bruna Discordia (FIU) def. Maria Blanco (SIU) 6-4, 6-3. 3. Desanka Jovanovic (FIU) def. Jessica Knitter (SIU) 6-3, 6-2. 4. Christine Suard (FIU) def. Zuzana Palovic (SIU) 6-1, 6-1. 5. Davina Duronio (FIU) def. Sophie Bedard (SIU) 6-1, 1-0 (ret). 6. Courtney Jonson (FIU) def. Zoya Honarmand (SIU) 6-2, 6-32