May 13, 2000
TEMPE, Ariz. - Top seed and host Arizona State defeated fourth seed Army 6-0 in the first round of the NCAA Championships this afternoon at Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe.
Arizona State, ranked 11th by the ITA, won the match during singles play, eliminating the need for doubles competition. The Sun Devils improve to 13-7 overall on the year.
The Cadets end their season with a 16-11 overall record. This NCAA appearance was the team's second straight.
The Sun Devils' lone senior, Kerry Giardino, won on court three over the Army's Jennifer Blatty, clinching the team win for ASU. It was Giardino's first match in seven weeks after being sidelined with a severe ankle sprain.
Freshmen Megan Yeats and Mhairi Brown were the first to complete their matches for the Sun Devils. Both turned in identical 6-0, 6-0 scores over their respective Army opponents, Melissa Sentelle and Lillian Lien. 15th-ranked Allison Bradshaw and 24th-ranked Karin Palme finished with matching 6-0, 6-1 scores over the Army's Annie Weber and Cheryl Hamilton, respectively.
Although the victory was already secured for the Devils, both teams agreed to finish a match in progress on court four, with ASU's Faye DeVera topping the Cadets' Ann Collier 7-5, 6-3.
Arizona State will face No. 33 and second seed Mississippi State tomorrow morning in NCAA second-round action. MSU defeated Oregon 5-0 in earlier first-round play. The match will take place Sun., May 14, at 10 a.m. (MST). General admission is $5, while students, juniors and seniors are $3.
The Regional champion will advance to the third round of the NCAAs, scheduled to begin May 18 at Pepperdine's Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center in Malibu, Calif.
Army (16-11)
No. 11 Arizona State(13-7)
Singles
1. (15) Allison Bradshaw (ASU) def. Annie Weber (ARMY)6-0, 6-1
2. (24) Karin Palme (ASU) def. Cheryl Hamilton (ARMY)6-0, 6-1
3. Kerry Giardino (ASU) def. Jennifer Blatty (ARMY)6-1, 6-4
4. Faye DeVera (ASU) def. Ann Collier (ARMY) 7-5, 6-3
5. (81) Megan Yeats (ASU) def. Melissa Sentelle (ARMY) 6-0, 6-
0
6. Mhairi Brown (ASU) def. Lillian Lien (ARMY) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
Not Played