April 18, 2003

MANHATTAN, Kan. - The 36th-ranked Kansas State tennis team had its five-match winning streak snapped Friday when No. 35 Texas A&M stunned the Wildcats with a 7-0 victory at the Washburn Tennis Facility on the K-State campus. The last time the Wildcats were shut out was Jan. 27, 2001 against No. 19 Mississippi.

With the loss, K-State dropped to 12-5 overall and 7-3 in the Big 12 Conference. Texas A&M improved to 16-9 overall and 8-2 in the league. With one match remaining, the 'Cats are now tied with Oklahoma for fourth place in the Big 12 standings. The Wildcats need a win Sunday for a chance at a bye in the Big 12 Conference Championship, April 24-27, in Kansas City, Mo. Baylor is in first place with a 9-1 record, A&M second and Texas third with a 7-2 mark.

"I think the first thing is Texas A&M is playing very well. They were very resilient and every time we changed things up, they would adjust," Kansas State head coach Steve Bietau said. "We didn't handle ourselves well. Part of the circumstance was they haven't been in a situation like this before with a big match against upper division competition. I think they are stunned. Having something big on the line and playing a big-time team."

Kansas State was in the match early when the Wildcats' No. 1 doubles team of Petra Sedlmajerova and Paulina Castillejos were up 7-4 on the 58th-ranked doubles team in the country, Jessica Roland and Roberta Spencer. But the Aggies won the next five games to win the match, 9-7. K-State's No. 3 doubles team of Maria Rosenberg and Jessica Simosa was up 2-1 early in their match, but fell behind 6-4. The Wildcats rallied to tie the match at 7-7, but Texas A&M's Nicki Mechem and Danielle Lee took the next two games for the win. At No. 2 doubles, Hayley McIver and Andrea Cooper were never in the match, losing 8-2 to Ashley Hedberg and Lauren Walker.

Down 1-0 entering singles, the Wildcat won only three sets in the six singles matches. At No. 2, Rosenberg lost to Hedberg, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. The Manhattan High product is now 12-4 in dual matches, 6-3 in the Big 12 Conference and 17-9 overall. Cooper lost to Seva Iwinski, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 6 singles. The sophomore is now 10-4 in dual matches, 5-3 in the league and 16-10 overall. The other three-set match went to Spencer who beat K-State's Simosa 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 at No. 3. The Wildcat freshman is now 10-6 in dual matches, 5-4 in the conference and 14-12 overall.

Sedlmajerova lost to Roland, ranked No. 100 in the ITA rankings, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. The senior falls to 10-6 in dual matches, 5-4 in Big 12 action and 15-11 overall. McIver had her six-match winning streak snapped when she played her second career match at No. 4 singles. She lost to Walker, 6-1, 6-2. The left-hander is now 11-4 in dual matches, 7-2 in the conference and 20-10 overall. Castillejos lost her third-straight match, falling to Mechem, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5.

Kansas State plays its final regular-season home match of the year when it hosts No. 32 Texas at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Washburn Tennis Facility on the K-State campus.

(36) Kansas State vs. (35) Texas A&M
April 18, 2003 - Manhattan, Kan. - Washburn Tennis Facility
Team Score - Texas A&M 7, Kansas State 0
KSU Team Record: 12-5, 7-3. A&M Team Record: 16-9, 8-2

Singles
1. Jessica Roland A&M def. Petra Sedlmajerova, KS 6-2, 6-1
2. Ashley Hedberg A&M def. Maria Rosenberg, KS 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. Roberta Spencer A&M def. Jessica Simosa, KS 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
4. Lauren Walker A&M def. Hayley McIver, KS 6-1, 6-2
5. Nicki Mechem A&M def. Paulina Castillejos, KS 6-4, 6-4
6. Seva Iwinski A&M def. Andrea Cooper, KS 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Doubles
1. Roland/Spencer A&M def. Castillejos/Sedlmajerova, KS 9-7
2. Hedberg/Walker A&M def. Cooper/McIver, KS 8-2
3. Lee/Mechem A&M def. Simosa/Rosenberg, KS 9-7