Tennis Has Strong Performance at Seminole Fall Classic

Nov. 12, 2005

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The University of Houston tennis team completed a strong weekend on Saturday at the Seminole Fall Classic.

"This was our best effort of the Fall season," head coach John Severance said. "This weekend gave our girls a taste against nationally ranked opponents. I entered the weekend wanting to know if we can play against strong national competiton come the Spring season, and this weekend our results gave me the answer I was looking for."

Playing without top player Loli Gomez, who missed this weekend's action with a shoulder ailment, the Cougars showed off their depth in both singles and doubles over the weekend.

Yolandi Terblanche and Kami Miller marched right through the Flight #1 Doubles draw. After registering a pair of hard-fought victories yesterday over Troy and USF, the duo knocked off Tarryn Rudman and Alison Silverio, a nationally-ranked duo from Georgia Tech, 8-6 for the championship.

"I couldn't be prouder of our two seniors," Severance said. "This is normally our No. 2 team, but they really stepped up their game this weekend beating every challenge they faced."

Playing in the No. 2 slot, Vicky Simpson and Brianna Bateup won a 9-8 battle against a pair from a former C-USA rival, UAB. The duo marched on, but fell to a Georgia Tech pair, 9-7 in the semis to end Friday. Simpson and Bateup finished in fourth place in the flight after dropping an 8-5 decision to Lucia Polakova and Kiara Powell of Bethune Cookman.

Tiffany McLoughlin and Sarah Reimer added two wins on Friday in No. 3 doubles reaching the final of their flight. On the other side of the net, the pair saw a team composed of teammate Sonja Nikolic and Alina Mihailescu of FSU. Nikolic and Mihailescu emerged victories, 8-2 to give Houston a piece of a second doubles title.

In singles action, Terblanche picked up a 6-3, 4-0 victory over Milana Borisev of South Carolina State on Friday in Flight #3 Singles. Terblanche started today with a huge semifinal win over Whitney Chappell of Auburn. In the final, Terblance dropped a 6-4, 6-1 decision to Gabrielle Duch, USF.

Miller, who was also competing in Flight #3 Singles, added a convincing 6-2, 6-1 win in the opening round Friday against Marin Levin of Stetson before falling to Duch in the semis, 7-5, 6-2. Miller rebounded to claim third place in the flight with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Chappell.

After gutting out a 6-4, 6-4 win over Nischa Maier-Knapp of UAB in Flight #1 Singles, Bateup put together strong back-to-back outings against nationally ranked opponents from USF and Georgia Tech dropping a pair of three-set decisions.

"I was extremely pleased with Bri's effort this weekend," Severance said. "She normally plays No. 2 or No. 3 for us. This weekend she had to raise her game, and she battled against strong No. 1's."

Reimer emerged with a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Daenetta Thompson of Florida A&M in Flight #7 Singles. The Arizona native ended up in third place in her flight. Simpson and McLoughlin rebounded from opening round loses picking up wins in consolation play.

Houston will not open the Spring season until January 28th when the Cougars face off Sam Houston State at Hoff Courts.

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