Sept. 28, 2001

Athens, Ga. - The Kansas State tennis team split its first singles matches of the season today, 3-3, against last year's NCAA Final Four participant Georgia at the Georgia Bulldog Fall Invitational in Athens, Ga.

At first singles, senior Alena Jecminkova (Yeck-mink-oh-va) beat senior Mariel Verban, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. Verban entered the match No. 8 on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rankings (ITA) rankings, while Jecminkova was ranked No. 56. Jecminkova led from start to finish throughout the match despite begin pushed to a tiebreaker in the first set.

In second singles, junior Petra Sedlmajerova (settle-mare-oh-va) beat Anne Nguyen, 6-2, 6-4. Nguyen is ranked No. 12 in the ITA preseason rankings and Sedlmajerova was tied for No. 100. Sedlmajerova trailed in the second set 3-2, but stormed back for the win.

Senior Kathy Chuda (WHO-da) lost 6-3, 6-3 to No. 58 ranked Agata Cioroch. Chuda had a chance to make it a three-set match after leading 3-2 in the second, but she couldn't convert in the late stages of the match.

At fourth singles, freshman Maria Rosenberg won her second singles match of the day (8-1 over Notre Dame) beating No. 32 Lori Grey, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3. Rosenberg swept through the first set capitalizing on Grey's unforced errors. Grey, a junior, returned the favor in the second set, leading throughout. Game three had Rosenberg leading 2-1 before Grey came back to tie it at three all. Rosenberg went ahead 4-3 and remain ahead for the win after Grey made two of three errors on volleys.

"The results speak for themselves," Kansas State head coach Steve Bietau said. "Winning the matches our players won today against the caliber they faced is significant. We also learned a great deal about what we need to work on next. We saw our consistency in practice and had a few pleasant surprises. Maria competed at a level we haven't seen until now."

In fifth singles, sophomore Paulina Castellijos (Cast-till-ay-hoes) lost to No. 75 Tina Hojnik, 6-3, 6-1 and at sixth singles, sophomore Hayley McIver fell to Alexander Smith, 6-1, 6-0.

In doubles action, the first team of Jecminkova and freshman Andrea Cooper lost to Grey and Cioroch, 8-1. At second doubles, Chuda and Sedlmajerova lost to Verban and Nguyen, 8-4 and third doubles had Castellijos and McIver losing to Smith and Houjnik, 8-2.

Tomorrow the Wildcats return to action at 7:30 a.m. when they play Miami in doubles and again at 11:30 a.m. when they play Notre Dame in a "mock dual" at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.