April 23, 2004

MORAGA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's tennis team earned a 4-3 victory in the opening match at the 2004 West Coast Conference Championship, besting host Saint Mary's at the Korth Tennis Complex. The Broncos (12-10) will continue the tournament against top-seeded Pepperdine on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The victory was sweet for the Broncos, as the team just lost to the Gaels last week to close the regular season, by a 5-2 score.

"It was a really emotional match," head coach Tricia Guidace described. "We refused to back down."

The Broncos clinched the doubles point with Nicole Jackson and Jessie Strunk's 9-7 win on court three.

In singles, the match was tied 3-3, with all eyes on court No. 6. Freshman Erika Barnes overcame a first-set loss for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 match-clinching win.

Tournament action continues through Sunday, and the winner will receive an automatic bid to the 2004 NCAA Championships, hosted on campus sites beginning May 14-16. Fans can follow WCC play online by Clicking Here.

Pepperdine enters the weekend as the top seed, having won 15 of the last 16 league crowns, with Loyola Marymount earning a victory in 2002. The Waves defeated Gonzaga 4-0 earlier today. San Diego is the second seed and will take on San Francisco at 1 p.m. Third-seeded LMU will battle Portland at 3 p.m.

Santa Clara def. Saint Mary's 4-3

Doubles
1. Lambert/Hunstock (SMC) def. Kaloi/Cochrane (SCU) 8-3
2. Barnes/Kelly Leathers (SCU) def. Stankovic/Schulman (SMC) 8-2
3. Nicole Jackson / Jessie Strunk (SCU) def. Kummer/Harden (SMC) 9-7

Singles
1. Aude Lambert (SMC) def. Janalle Kaloi (SCU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Kate Harden (SMC) def. Catherine Cochrane (SCU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Casey Knutson (SCU) def. Megan Schulman (SMC) 6-4, 6-3
4. Kelly Leathers (SCU) def. Kristen Kummer (SMC) 6-2, 6-2
5. Nicole Hunstock (SMC) def. Kimberly Daniel (SCU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
6. Erika Barnes (SCU) def. Anne-Joy de Graan (SMC) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1*

* Clinched Team Victory

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