March 9, 2008

LAKE CHARLES, La. - The Texas State women's tennis team bounced back from a loss at Lamar to defeat McNeese State 6-1 on Sunday.

The Bobcats improved to 4-5 on the year and 2-2 in Southland Conference play with the win while McNeese State fell to 3-7 overall and 0-4 in conference.

A sweep of the doubles point gave the `Cats an early 1-0 advantage as the duo of Andrea Giraldo and Rabea Hartmann won 8-5 in the doubles' top spot while the No. 2 team of Ashley Ellis and Lainy Chafitz and the No. 3 pair of Ali Gulida and Sumarie Muller each won 8-5.

In singles play, Giraldo won a hotly contested match in the No. 1 spot with a 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 win over Meri Gol Alamo. Hartmann then added to the Bobcat lead with a close 6-1, 7-6 (7-0) win in the No. 2 spot.

A 6-4, 6-1 straight sets win by Ellis in the third position over Victoria Martinez clinched the win for Texas State. The victory also marked the third straight for Ellis since moving from the No. 2 to No. 3 singles spot.

McNeese State battled Texas State throughout the match, as Chafitz won her No. 4 draw against Maria del Rocio Frau 7-5, 4-6, 10-7.

Gulia added another point from the No. 5 spot with a 6-0, 6-2 win while the Cowgirls' lone point came in the No. 6 position as Inga Efimenko defeated Muller 6-3, 7-6 (7-6), 11-9.

The Bobcats now head to California for matches against Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-Northridge and UC-Riverside.