Women's Tennis Falls To No. 31 Virginia

Jan. 17, 2004

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Michigan State women's tennis team completed a difficult opening weekend to the spring season, falling to No. 31 Virginia, 7-0, Saturday in Nashville. MSU dropped to 0-2 after falling to No. 12 Vanderbilt yesterday in the season opener. It was the first match of the season for Virginia.

Virginia swept the doubles matches to claim the first point. Senior Caroline Lay (Brisbane, Australia) and junior Keri Thompson (Clark Lake, Mich.) fell 8-4 at No. 1, while freshman Pascale Schnitzer (Santiago, Chile) and junior Karen Gustafson (East Lansing, Mich.) lost by the same score at No. 3. At No. 2, sophomore Shelley Brady (Grand Blanc, Mich.) and freshman Sarah Andrews (Darwin, Australia) dropped an 8-3 decision.

In singles, Thompson had the most impressive Spartan performance, battling No. 74 Mariko Fritz-Krockow for three sets at No. 1. After dropping the opening set 6-2, Thompson battled back to win the second set, 7-5, forcing a third set, which she lost, 6-3.

The other singles positions saw the Spartans score points, but fall just short. Brady fell at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-3, to Kristen James. Lay dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision at No. 3 to Lauren Bruch, and Andrews was nipped by Shannon Stough at No. 4, 6-4, 6-4. Schnitzer lost at No. 5 to Marta Bechliwanis by a 6-2, 6-4 score, and at No. 6, freshman Jessica Baron (Miami, Fla.) dropped her first dual match as a Spartan, 6-4, 6-3, to Dora Bechliwanis.

Michigan State will open the home portion of the spring season next weekend, hosting Bowling Green on Saturday and Toledo on Sunday at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility. Both matches begin at 10 a.m.



No. 31 Virginia 7, Michigan State 0
Doubles:1. No. 38 Fritz-Krockow/Bruch (UVa) def. Lay/Thompson (MSU), 8-42. K. James/Stough (UVa) def. Brady/Andrews (MSU), 8-33. Hammond/Montgomery (UVa) def. Schnitzer/Gustafson (MSU), 8-4
Singles1. No. 74 Mariko Fritz-Krockow (UVa) def. Keri Thompson (MSU), 6-2, 5-7, 6-32. Kristen James (UVa) def. Shelley Brady (MSU), 6-1, 6-33. Lauren Bruch (UVa) def. Caroline Lay (MSU), 6-4, 6-24. Shannon Stough (UVa) def. Sarah Andrews (MSU), 6-4, 6-45. Marta Bechliwanis (UVa) def. Pascale Schnitzer (MSU), 6-2, 6-46. Dora Bechliwanis (UVa) def. Jessica Baron (MSU), 6-4, 6-3