Jan. 17, 2004

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The No. 31 ranked Virginia women's tennis team opened the 2004 season strong, defeating Michigan State 7-0 Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. The Cavaliers swept all three doubles matches and won all six singles matches, only losing one set.

The Cavaliers (1-0) jumped out to an early lead by taking the doubles point. Kyle Montgomery (Charlottesville, Va.) and Caroline Hammond (Williamsburg, Va.) won at the No. 3 position before Mariko Fritz-Krockow (Fairfax, Va.) and Lauren Bruch (Lake Forest, Ill.) won at No. 1 to clinch the doubles point. Kristen James (Clifton, Va.) and Shannon Stough (Hot Springs, Ark.) closed out doubles play with their win at No. 2.

Virginia carried that momentum into singles play, quickly recording three straight set wins to clinch the dual match. James defeated Shelley Brady 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2, Bruch defeated Caroline Lam 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3, before Stough topped Sarah Andrews 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4 to clinch the Cavalier win. The Cavaliers closed out the match with three more wins, as Fritz-Krockow completed a three-set win at No. 1 and twins Dora and Marta Bechliwanis (Etobicoke, Ont.) recorded wins at No. 5 and No. 6.

"It was our first match and I wasn't sure what to expect," said head coach Phil Rogers. "Today wasn't the prettiest match I have ever seen but I was pleased with our effort. It was nice to start with a win and now we have to build on it."

Virginia will close out its season opening road trip to Nashville on Sunday, as they will meet No. 12 Vanderbilt (1-0) at noon. The Commodores opened their season Friday with a 7-0 win over Michigan State.

Singles:
1. No. 74 Mariko Fritz-Krockow (UVa) def. Keri Thompson (MSU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
2. Kristen James (UVa) def. Shelley Brady (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Lauren Bruch (UVa) def. Caroline Lam (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Shannon Stough (UVa) def. Sarah Andrews (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Marta Bechliwanis (UVa) def. Pascale Schnitzer (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Dora Bechliwanis (UVa) def. Jessica Baron (MSU) 6-4, 6-3

Doubles:
1. No. 38 Fritz-Krockow/Bruch (UVa) def. Lay/Thompson (MSU) 8-4
2. K. James/Stough (UVa) def. Brady/Andrews (MSU) 8-3
3. Hammond/Montgomery (UVa) def. Schnitzer/Gustafson (MSU) 8-4