Sept. 28, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford junior Raphael Bohli won a pair of matches to advance to the semi-finals of the top men's flight on the first day of the 2001 Bulldog Open Tennis Tournament being held at Samford University this weekend.

Fifteen schools are being represented in three flights for both the men and the women. Bohli won his opening round match 6-1, 6-2 over Birmingham Southern's Kyle Weidmann. Bohli then knocked off Lipscomb's Danny Norman 6-0, 6-3.

In other men's singles action, Samford senior David Misner defeated UAB's Rusty Walker 6-0, 6-2. Junior Chuck Haddox fell to Danilo Castro 6-4, 6-0 and senior Colin Thompson dropped his opening match to independent Chris Castro 6-4, 7-6.

On the ladies side, Sophomore Brooke Bryant defeated Somer Maze of Sneed State 6-3, 6-1. Freshman Jennifer Pharr defeated Meredith Danridge of Sneed State 6-2, 6-0 and sophomore Emily Nunnally won by default over Lipscomb's Jessica Bowman. Belmont's Alba Garcia defeated senior Courtney Collins 6-3, 6-3 and Martin Methodist's Joanna Bayon defeated freshman Katie Crawford 6-4, 7-5. Senior Katherine Jayroe dropped her first match to Belmont's Starr Steffner 6-1, 7-5.

The tournament will continue on Saturday morning with consolation matches. In the afternoon, the semifinals and finals will be played. All of the top flight matches are being played at the Samford Tennis Courts. Second flight matches are being played at the Lakeshore Tennis Facility and third flight matches are being played at George Ward Park.

UAB, Alabama, Birmingham-Southern, and Samford are all being represented at the tournament.