Jan. 27, 2007

The Eastern Washington University women's tennis team is 1-0 in Big Sky Conference play after defeating Northern Colorado in clutch fashion, 4-3, on Saturday morning. The Eagles (1-2, 1-0 BSC) claimed all three doubles matches and then split the six singles contests to edge out the Bears (0-1, 0-1 BSC).

At No. 1 doubles, Kerstyn Dolack and Kasey Knox defeated Tabatha Knop and Christina Shelly, 8-6, while Amanda Mankovits and Iliana Petrova topped Karen Groll and Renee Nuccio on the second court by an identical score. At No. 3, Rachel Berger and Marie Demerath were able to outscore Tiffany Knop and Meredith Krystofik, 8-4.

UNC quickly tied the score, 1-1, when Tabatha Knop defeated Petrova at court two, 6-0, 6-0. Knox, however, put the Eagles back in the lead with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 1 versus Groll. The back-and-forth team score then saw Tiffany Knop upend Berger on the fourth court, 6-2, 6-2, to once again tie the score, this time at 2-all.

Dolack gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead when her 6-2, 6-2 win over Krystofik on court three was completed, and the EWU win was secure when Demerath earned her first victory of the season in dramatic fashion, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. That victory came at No. 6 over Shelly. The final match to complete play saw Mankovits fall in a tight one, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, on court five to Nuccio.

The Eagles conclude their three-match road trip in the Centennial State with a Sunday morning match at Colorado State in the Rams' season-opening contest of 2007. Eastern will then open their home schedule with another Big Sky Conference match, taking on perennial Big Sky champion and 63rd-ranked Sacramento State at 1 p.m. on Feb. 9.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eastern Washington at Northern Colorado

Eastern Washington 4, Northern Colorado 3

Jan. 27, 2007, at Greeley, Colo.

Singles competition

1. Kasey Knox (EWU) def. Karen Groll (UNC), 6-1, 6-1

2. Tabatha Knop (UNC) def. Iliana Petrova (EWU), 6-0, 6-0

3. Kerstyn Dolack (EWU) def. Meredith Krystofik (UNC), 7-5, 6-3

4. Tiffany Knop (UNC) def. Rachel Berger (EWU), 6-2, 6-2

5. Renee Nuccio (UNC) def. Amanda Mankovits (EWU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4

6. Marie Demerath (EWU) def. Christina Shelly (UNC), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Kerstyn Dolack/Kasey Knox (EWU) def. Tabatha Knop/Christina Shelly (UNC), 8-6

2. Amanda Mankovits/Iliana Petrova (EWU) def. Karen Groll/Renee Nuccio (UNC), 8-6

3. Rachel Berger/Marie Demerath (EWU) def. Tiffany Knop/Meredith Krystofik (UNC), 8-4

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,1,4,3,6,5)