April 23, 2008

LONG BEACH--No. 39-ranked Long Beach State (16-6), the four-time defending Big West Tournament champions, will look to reach their sixth NCAA Tournament in seven years when they travel to Indian Wells for the four-day Big West Tournament.

The 49ers, the top seed, will play the winner of the 8/9 game on Friday at 9 a.m. and continue with play on Saturday at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. The 49ers feature three freshmen in their top-six and have won the last 12-straight Big West Tournament matches dating back to 2004. Beach Tennis is 5-1 since 2002 in the Big West Tournament Finals.

Three 49ers ran the table on the rest of their conference opponents, with freshman Stephanie Jeanes making the biggest impression. The spring enrollee went a perfect 8-0 in singles play and then teamed with Jessica Weeks to go 8-0 in doubles play. She is the only undefeated freshman in league play. Overall Jeanes is 16-6 at the No. 4 position, the most wins during the spring.

Overall, the team's three freshmen, Jeanes, Deborah Armstrong (22-14) and Lisa Sutton (13-6) are a combined 51-26. Armstrong and Sutton have combined to go 16-4 in doubles play, winning 15 of their last 17.

Two-time Big West Player of the Year and No. 91-ranked Hannah Grady continues a stellar career, going 24-9 this season, while going a perfect 8-0 against her fellow Big West opponents. She has won 20 games in two-straight seasons and is four wins from the single-season record.

All-time singles leader, Stephanie Bengson, will play in her final post-season, two wins from the combined record for wins (147). Bengson, who is 20-11 this season in singles play, teamed with Grady to rank No. 56 nationally and go 20-8 this season, three wins away from the single-season record. Bengson was also perfect in Big West matches (7-0).

Pairings for the NCAA Tournament will be announced on April 29 at 11 a.m. Pacific on ESPNews, while the individual NCAA Singles and Doubles draws will be announced on April 30 at ncaasports.com. Liking individual pairings take a serious look at players ranked in the top-125 in singles play and top-60 in doubles play.

TOP-SIX SINGLES PLAYERS FOR LBSU
No. 1 Hannah Grady, Junior
THIS YEAR: 24-9
CAREER SINGLES: 65-24
The two-time Big West Player of the Year is 24-9 overall during the season... ranking No. 91 this week in the national rankings at the No. 1 position... she is a two-time Big West Player of the Week, earning the honors a conference tying record nine times... has won at least 20 games in two consecutive seasons and is four wins away from the single-season record... she has three ranked wins and has won 12 of her last 15... in the fall she won the CS Fullerton Invite and reached the third round of the West Regional, overall she went 9-2... two of her losses this year have come to Cal's Suzie Babos, who was ranked No. 10 when Babos won on January 26 and five of the six losses in the spring have been to ranked opponents.... went undefeated against the rest of the Big West in singles play.... her 24 wins is four away from the single-season record and surpasses in 2007 total (22-9).

No. 2 Stephanie Bengson, Senior
THIS YEAR: 20-11
CAREER SINGLES: 72-35
The two-time first team All-Big West pick is the all-time record holder for singles wins (was 70)... she is two wins away from the combined record (147)... broke the singles record with a straight set victory against LMU on April 11... has won 20 matches in consecutive seasons, joining Grady and Armstrong on this year's team... has won her last seven decisions and is 15-6 in the spring after beginning the semester 3-4... Bengson is 2-2 against ranked opponents in the spring... 12 of her 15 wins in the spring have been in straight sets... went undefeated against the rest of the Big West in singles play.

No. 3 Deborah Armstrong, Freshman
THIS YEAR: 22-14
CAREER SINGLES: same
One of three freshmen in the starting lineup, she is the 14th player to record at least 22 wins in a single season... is 13-9 during the dual season... won five matches in a row from February 17 to March 8... reached the semifinals of the consolation bracket of the Cal Fall Invite and went 9-5 overall.

No. 4 Stephanie Jeanes, Freshman
THIS YEAR: 16-6
CAREER SINGLES: same
Spring freshman enrollee has gone undefeated against the rest of the Big West in both singles and doubles this season (16-0 overall)... her winning percentage of .727 is tied with No. 1 player, Grady, on the team... after starting the season 3-4, has won 13 of 15, including the last four straight... during the current streak she has had straight set wins 10 times... six of her Big West opponents have been defeated in straight sets... clinched the 4-3 victory over UC Santa Barbara on April 3 with a straight-set win... one of three freshmen in the starting lineup and along with Lisa Sutton, came to campus in January.

No. 5 Jessica Weeks, Junior
THIS YEAR: 17-15
CAREER SINGLES: 53-37
Junior has gone 17-15 during the season, including a 12-12 mark in the spring, rebounding after a 2-5 start to win eight of her last 11... had a three-match win streak prior to losing to Fresno State... will need three more wins to become the fourth 20-match winner on the squad... has gone to three sets six times, going 4-2.... went 5-5 in the fall.... her 53 career singles wins is seventh all-time.

No. 6 Lisa Sutton, Freshman
THIS YEAR: 13-6
CAREER SINGLES: same
One of three freshmen and the second of two spring freshman enrollees in the starting lineup, Sutton has gone 13-6 during the spring.... has won four of five... went a stretch in February and March where she won four-straight, all in three sets.

TOP-THREE DOUBLES TEAMS FOR LBSU
No. 1 Bengson/Grady
THIS YEAR: 20-8
Grady is a two-time all-BWC doubles player, Bengson is a three-time honoree, as the duo have combined to rank No. 56 this week...they are the third-highest ranked doubles team in school-history, as the No. 36 ranking last week as an all-time best... one of just eight doubles team all-time to win 20 games in a season... the single-season record is 23... at one point won 10-straight and overall have gone 15-6 in the spring... they have four ranked wins this season... they won the Fullerton Fall Invite.

No. 2 Jeanes/Weeks
THIS YEAR: 15-6
Played together for the first time in January and went undefeated against the rest of the Big West (8-0)... prior to losing to Fresno State's No. 25-ranked team, had won the last five-straight... overall, have won 11 of the last 14... Weeks is a two-time All-Big West doubles player... five of the team's seven losses this year have come to opponents ranked in the top-20.

No. 3 Armstrong/Sutton
THIS YEAR: 16-4
The second doubles team to play for the first time in January, the two freshmen have won 16 of 20 matches in the spring.. one of the hottest teams all spring, they won 12 straight and 15 of the last 17 matches at the No. 3 position... the 12-game win streak included four wins over ranked teams.