Feb. 19, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

IRVING, Texas - In Conference USA women's tennis action last week, Tulsa improved its record to 9-1, while Marshall kept pace with wins to improve 8-2. New ITA team and individual rankings will be announced tomorrow and can be found by clicking the link on the women's tennis info center.

CO-WOMEN'S ATHLETES OF THE WEEK (2/19)
Dominique Karas - Rice
Jr., Halifax, Nova Scotia (St. Patrick's)
Karas tallied an undefeated singles week as the Rice women's tennis team went 2-1 with its lone setback coming at No. 26 Texas. Karas won all three of her singles matches in straight sets, including a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 3 over Texas' Courtney Zauft. The Nova Scotia product turned away a 5-3 deficit in the second set and emerged in a tiebreaker against Kathrin Lange of Northwestern State. Karas teamed up with Julie Chao as Rice's top doubles team for a 2-1 week. The weekly honor is the first of Karas' career.

ALEXANDRA KICHOUTKIN - Tulsa
Fr., New York, N.Y. (Rothberg)
Kichoutkin posted two more victories to move to 10-0 in singles on the spring season. She is 3-0 at No. 1, 2-0 at No. 2 and 5-0 at No. 3. Kichoutkin also picked up two more doubles wins and is now 8-1 in doubles play with partner Jie Zeng. On Friday agasint Sam Houston State, she downed Irina Sotnikova, 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6) in singles and notched an 8-2 doubles win over Eleonora Kuruc/Patricia Manzur, 8-2. The Golden Hurricane blasted the Sam Houston State Bearkats 7-0. In TU's other match of the weekend against Kansas State, Kichoutkin defeated Viviana Yrureta, 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-4) and won 8-5 over Vanessa Cottin/Pauline Guemas in doubles. This is Kichoutkin's second weekly honor in 2008 (Feb. 5).

WEEKLY AWARDS
Conference USA will name a male and female tennis Athlete of the Week throughout the regular season. The weekly accolades are selected by the media relations department and announced every Tuesday throughout the season.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
J22 - Kellie Schmitt, Marshall
J29 - Kellie Schmitt, Marshall
F5 - Alexandra Kichoutkin, Tulsa
F12 - Natalia Bubien, SMU
F19 - Dominique Karas, Rice
Alexandra Kichoutkin, Tulsa

OTHER NOTABLE C-USA TENNIS PERFORMANCES
VICKY SIMPSON - Houston
Jr., Downham, UK
Simpson was a perfect 6-0 last week, capturing all three singles matches andshe teamed with Leila Salek to win all three of her doubles matches. Simpson did not drop a set all week.

Kellie Schmitt - Marshall
Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Schmitt is the lone Marshall player to be undefeated in both singles and doubles action. She has played all of her matches at the No. 1 position. Last week, she won both of her singles and doubles matches against Pitt and Cincinnati.

ASHLEY MURDOCK - Memphis
So., Memphis, Tenn.
Murdock improved her record to 7-0 with a pair of singles wins at No. 1 for the Tigers last weekend. She is also 5-1 in doubles.

PAVI FRANCIS - SMU
So., Lewisville, Texas
Francis split her singles and doubles matches last weekend against No. 44 N.C. State and No. 15 Duke. Francis and partner Natalia Bubien nearly upset the No. 5 pair in the country from Duke on Sunday.

ALI BLACKETT - Southern Miss
Sr., Bristol, England
Blackett battled back from a set down to defeat Majorie Ondeck of Memphis in three sets to clinch the match for Southern Miss. Blackett also posted an 8-3 win in doubles with partner Shannon Rogers.

WEEKLY RELEASE
The Conference USA media relations staff will produce a weekly release each Tuesday throughout the season, including Athlete of the Week selections and updated standings. Complete league statistics and results will be updated daily throughout the season on the Conference website.

ON THE WEB
For the latest Conference USA tennis match recaps, scores, standings, stats and weekly notebooks please log on to the league's official website: www.ConferenceUSA.com