April 23, 2008

The Air Force women's tennis team closed out its 2008 season Wednesday by falling to Wyoming, 4-1, in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Championships at Fort Worth, Texas. Wyoming, seeded eighth, advances to play top-seeded TCU in the quarterfinals, while the Falcons, the tournament's ninth-seed, ended their season at 6-21 overall.

The Cowgirls jumped out to a 1-0 lead by winning close matches at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots. Air Force's No. 1 duo of junior Christine Abayan and sophomore Erlyn Rudico opened play with a convincing, 8-2 victory over Rebecca Berger and Corina Lazar.

However, Wyoming's Brittany DeFelice and Jamie Nelson beat freshmen Samantha Sarkis and Katrina Eromin, 9-7, at No. 3, then Michelle Brown and Carly Van Hollen clinched the point with a tough, 8-6 victory over senior Lauren Wilson and freshman Christen Monreal.

Air Force, which fielded a very young singles lineup with four freshmen, one junior and one senior, dropped the first two singles matches off the court before Wilson posted a straight-set win in her final collegiate match. Wilson, who won 63 singles matches in her four-year career, took the No. 2 match, 6-2, 7-5, over Berger to cut the lead to 3-1.

Prior to Wilson's victory, Sarah Summerfield defeated Eromin, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 and Lazar handled Abayan, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 to give the Cowgirls a 3-0 lead.

With Air Force needing to win the three remaining matches, all three were extended to a third set. Brown ended the match with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Monreal at the No. 5 spot. The other two matches were halted at that point.

(8) Wyoming 4, (9) Air Force 1
Wednesday, April 23
Fort Worth, Texas
2008 Mountain West Conference Championships - First Round

Singles
1. Corina Lazar (WY) def. Christine Abayan, 6-3, 6-3
2. Lauren Wilson (AF) def. Rebecca Berger, 6-2, 7-5
3. Carly Van Hollen (WY) vs. Samantha Sarkis, 7-5, 5-7, 2-0 (DNF)
4. Sarah Summerfield (WY) def. Katrina Eromin, 6-2, 6-2
5. Michelle Brown (WY) def. Christen Monreal, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4
6. Sarah Cassman (AF) vs. Brittany DeFelice, 7-6, 3-6, 4-2 (DNF)
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 5

Doubles
1. Abayan/Erlyn Rudico (AF) def. Berger/Lazar, 8-2
2. Brown/Van Hollen (WY) def. Wilson/Monreal, 8-6
3. DeFelice/Jamie Nelson (WY) def. Sarkis/Eromin, 9-7
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2