May 9, 2003

LOS ANGELES -- The fifth-ranked USC women's tennis team (20-5) defeated No. 62 Sacramento State (16-8), 4-0, Friday afternoon in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Championships played at the USC Marks Tennis Stadium in Los Angeles. With the victory, the Women of Troy advance to the second round and will face No. 31 Georgia Tech on Saturday, May 10, at 2 p.m. The Yellow Jackets defeated Cal Poly, 4-0, in the earlier match.

USC's Carine Vermeulen and Melissa Esmero began the afternoon with a shut-out victory (8-0) at No. 3 doubles over Petra Abraham and Cristina Rivieccio. It was a much tougher battle on the remaining courts, but the Women of Troy clinched the doubles point when Luana Magnani and Anita Loyola defeated Roberta Fessenko and Amanda Sanches, 8-4, at court two. The match at center court was abandoned.

Despite playing without Magnani in the singles lineup, who withdrew after doubles due to injury, the Trojans seemed to have little difficulty against the Hornets. Tiffany Brymer was the first off the court with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Sac State's Abraham at No. 4. Melissa Esmero, who entered the lineup for Magnani at No. 6, followed with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Cristina Riviecco to give USC a 3-0 lead. The Women of Troy needed just one more match to clinch the win as Loyola and Vermeulen led 5-1 in the second set on each of their courts. Vermeulen was the first to finish, defeating Sanches, 6-1, 6-1, to complete the afternoon.

Following are complete results.

NCAA Championship First Round
#5 USC 4, #62 Sacramento State 0

Doubles
(1) Peterson/Brymer (USC) vs. Karnaukhova/Roslund (Sac State) - 7-5 suspended
(2) Magnani/Loyola (USC) def. Fessenko/Sanches (Sac State) - 8-4
(3) Esmero/Vermeulen (USC) def. Abraham/Rivieccio (Sac State) - 8-0
USC wins doubles point.

Singles
(1) Jewel Peterson (USC) vs. Margarita Karnaukhova (Sac State) - 3-6, 2-1 suspended
(2) Maureen Diaz (USC) vs. Roberta Fessenko (Sac State) - 6-4, 1-0 suspended
(3) Anita Loyola (USC) vs. Ann Roslund (Sac State) - 6-4, 5-1 suspended
(4) Tiffany Brymer (USC) def. Petra Abraham (Sac State) - 6-1, 6-0
(5) Carine Vermeulen (USC) def. Amanda Sanches (Sac State) - 6-1, 6-1
(6) Melissa Esmero (USC) def. Cristina Rivieccio (Sac State)- 6-1, 6-1

Order of finish: 4, 6, 5