Sept. 29, 2007

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ---- The young Samford women's tennis team made up of two seniors and four freshmen have had a great amount of success in the first two days of the Roberta Alison Classic hosted by the University of Alabama. Two Bulldog duos advanced for the doubles finals while three freshmen have made it to the final round of singles play, which will be played on Sunday.

In doubles action, senior Anna Jackson and Katie Weaver advanced to the semifinal round of the gold doubles bracket on Friday. Jackson/Weaver took on the University of Iowa duo of Berry/Klockenga in the first round of play, defeating them, 8-2, but falling to Auburn-Montgomery duo Dadakodjaeva/Lysak in the semifinal round, 8-4. The tandem then went to the consolation bracket only to fall to Auburn pair Hastenrath/Slade, 8-5, to walk away with a fourth place finish.

Freshmen Lindsey Reidenbach and Rebecca Kirven advanced to the final round of the bronze bracket, defeating Mattox/Loeser in round one (8-4) and UNC-Charlotte tandem Stoeva/Vergara, 9-8 (7-4), before falling to the same duo in the final round, 8-6.

Another pair of Bulldog freshmen, Lindsay Mallory and Taylor Morgan defeated Auburn pair Djuranovic/Bybee, 8-6 to advance to the semifinal round of the silver bracket on Friday. They then beat UNC-Charlotte duo Redfern/Cunningham, 8-3, to advance to the final round before falling to Troy's Jouanin/de Bakker, 8-3.

In singles play, Jackson made it to the semifinal round of the silver bracket, defeating Iowa's Kayla Berry by a score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 in round one but fell in the semifinal round to Alabama's Merritt Emery, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Weaver also advanced to the semifinal round of the blue bracket as she defeated Tatiana Feit of Mississippi State, 7-5, 6-4, in round one but eventually fell to Khady Berthe of Auburn-Montgomery, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.

Morgan made her way to the finals of the red singles bracket, defeating Belmont's Lindsay Bennett (6-1, 6-1) in round one and AUM's Natalie Sienkob in the semifinals, 6-4, 6-2. Mallory is in the finals of the teal bracket after defeating Sarah Templeton of UNC-Greensboro in the first round (6-1, 6-1) and Alli Nolen of Alabama in the semifinals (6-0, 6-1). Reidenback advanced to the finals of the pink bracket passing Perry Loeser (UNCG) in round one, 6-0, 6-0, and Belmont's Abby Leatherwood in the semifinals,1-6, 6-4, 6-1. Also in the pink bracket, Kirven defeated Taylor Mattox (UNCG), 6-0, 6-2, in the consolation semifinal after falling to Gabi Vergara (UNCC) in round one, 6-0, 6-2.

All four Bulldogs will play in the final rounds Sunday beginning at 8 a.m. For a recap and results, go to www.samfordsports.com.