Jan. 24, 2003

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The No. 61-ranked Kansas State tennis team won its first dual match of the season when it knocked off No. 41 Brigham Young, 4-3, for a second-straight year on Friday at Ahearn Field House.

"Today was a very important match for us," Kansas State head coach Steve Bietau said. "I don't think either coach knew how important today's match was going to be because it was the first match of the year. It was also an important win for us because BYU is not an easy team. They are a team that gets better as the year goes on and the value of this win helps."

Kansas State secured the victory when senior Petra Sedlmajerova came from a set down to beat Lu Oswald, who was ranked No. 17 in the Central Region rankings, at No. 2 singles 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3.

"Petra had some frustrating moments today, but there is nobody I'd rather have out there to win it for us than Petra," Bietau said.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match by winning the doubles points. At No. 1 doubles, sophomore Andrea Cooper and freshman Jessica Simosa defeated Dominique Reynolds and Leeza Klempner, 8-6, and Sedlmajerova and junior Paulina Castillejos beat Rebecca Pike and Oswald, 8-5, at No. 2 doubles. At No. 3 doubles, junior Haley McIver and sophomore Maria Rosenberg fell to Hadley Macfarlane and Nicole Schneider, 8-3.

Kansas State's second point came when Rosenberg beat Dominique Reynolds, 6-4, 7-5. The Manhattan High product trailed 2-1 in the first set before storming back to win the next five games. In the second set, she fended off Reynolds, who is ranked No. 8 in the region, at 5-5 by winning the next two games.

K-State's third point came from the rookie Simosa. In her first collegiate dual match, she beat Klempner, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

"Jessica, in her first dual match, was very good today. She got us two wins," Bietau said.

At fourth singles, Castillejos dropped her first set, 6-4, battled to a 6-2 win in the second set, but lost the third, 6-4. Both the fifth and sixth singles matches were decided by tiebreakers. McIver lost 2-6 and 6-7 (3), while Cooper was defeated 6-3, 4-6 (8).

Kansas State returns to action Feb. 1 when it hosts Southwest Missouri State at noon in Ahearn Field House.

(61) Kansas State vs. (41) Brigham Young
January 24, 2003 - Manhattan, Kan. - Ahearn Field House
Team Score - Kansas State 4, Brigham Young 3
KSU Team Record: 1-0 BYU Team Record: 0-1

Singles
1. Maria Rosenberg, KS def. Dominique Reynolds, BYU 6-4, 7-5
2. Petra Sedlmajerova, KS def. Lu Oswald, BYU 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3
3. Jessica Simosa, KS def. Leeza Klempner, BYU 7-6 (4), 6-1
4. Rebecca Pike, BYU def. Paulina Castillejos, KS 4-6, 6-2, 4-6
5. Nicole Schneider, BYU def. Hayley McIver, KS 2-6, 7-6 (3)
6. Hadley Macfarlane, BYU def. Andrea Cooper, KS 6-3, 4-6 (8)

Doubles
1. Cooper/Simosa, KS def. Klempner/Reynolds, BYU 8-6
2. Sedlmajerova/Castillejos, KS def. Pike/Oswald, BYU 8-5
3. MacFarlane/Schneider, BYU def. McIver/Rosenberg, KS 8-3