LIVINGSTON, Ala. – After Sweeping Lambuth and LeMoyne Owen on Monday to close out the regular season, the University of West Alabama women’s tennis team will open the 2009 Gulf South Conference Tennis Tournament on Friday, April 17, in Montgomery, Ala.

UWA, the No. 4 seed from the East, will tangle with Delta State at 8:30 a.m. at the Lagoon Park/O’Conner Tennis Center.  The Lady Statesmen claimed the GSC West Division title and the top seed from the division.  This year’s inclusion in the GSC Tournament marks the second-straight season for the Tiger women.

UWA cruised in both matches in the Volunteer State on Monday, blanking LU 9-0 and LOC, 6-0 to push its season’s mark to 13-13 overall.  The Tigers surrendered just six games combined on the day in singles activity.  In the LU match, Victoria Jones turned back LU’s Marla Walker, 6-2, 6-2.  Mariana Freitas ousted Anna Elizabeth Austin, 6-0, 6-0.  Brittany Williams and Amanda Morgan turned in a pair of pro-set, 8-0 wins at No. 3 and 4.  Cori Waters posted a 6-0, 6-1 win over Ashlee Rummelin at No. 5.  In doubles, the Tiger tandem of Freitas and Jones breezed past LU’s duo of Walker and Austin, 8-1.  Nicole Shanahan and Morgan topped Alexandra Richardson and Ambrey Moore, 8-2.

In the LOC match, UWA carded a trio of 8-0 wins in doubles and finished off the match with three convincing wins in singles.

The UWA men also collected a pair of wins, downing LU 5-2 before blanking LOC 9-0.  The Red and White took a pair of doubles matches, as James Gardner and Lucas Cruz edged LU’s Brad Robbins and Will Magee, 8-5.  Renat Shaykhelislamov and Benny Delgado Rochas downed LU’s duo of Stephen Harvill and Ryan Swift, 8-2.  Delgado Rochas and Shaykhelislamo picked up singles wins to clinch the match. 

2009 Gulf South Conference Women’s Tennis Tournament

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

Quarter-Finals

Match #1 (LP)

 8:30 am                   W1 Delta State vs. E4 West Alabama

Match #2 (LP)

 8:30 am                  E2 West Florida vs. W3 Arkansas Tech

Match #3 (LP)

 11:00 am                W2 Henderson State vs. E3 North Alabama

Match #4 (LP)

 11:00 am                E1 Valdosta State vs. W4 Harding

Semi-Finals

Match #5 (LP)

 2:00 pm Match #1 Winner vs. Match #2 Winner

Match #6 (LP)

 4:30 pm                 Match #3 Winner vs. Match #4 Winner

Consolation Semi-Finals

Match #7 (LP)

 2:00 pm Match #1 Loser vs. Match #2 Loser

Match #8 (LP)

 4:30 pm Match #3 Loser vs. Match #4 Loser

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

Championship

Match #9 (LP)

 Noon                     Match #5 Winner vs. Match #6 Winner