March 22, 2008

HOUSTON - Texas State could not close out its three week, six-match road trip with a win as the Bobcats lost 4-0 at No. 64 Rice on Saturday.

The 'Cats drop to 5-8 on the season while Rice moves to 13-4.

Andrea Giraldo and Ashley Ellis opened play with an 8-0 loss in the top doubles match against Julie Chao and Dominique Karas. Rice's Tiffany Lee and Rebecca Lin clinched the doubles point with an 8-2 win in the No. 2 spot.

Chao then defeated Giraldo at the No. 1 singles position to put Rice up 2-0, and the Bobcats' deficit grew to 3-0 when Lin beat Sumarie Muller 6-0, 6-0.

Varsha Shiva-Shankar's 6-0, 6-2 win over Natalie McLeod at No. 6 singles clinched the win for the Owls, and the match was called with the win.

Texas State returns home for matches against Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State March 29 and 30.