No. 40 Lady Bulldogs Blank Southern Miss, 7-0

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's 40th-ranked women's tennis

team began their 2001 season in rousing fashion by defeating Southern

Mississippi 7-0 in just over two hours on Friday afternoon. The Lady

Bulldogs are 1-0 on the young campaign, while Southern Mississippi is now

0-2.

The win marked the fourth-consecutive season in which MSU opened

with a win. The Lady Bulldogs have now won 11 consecutive home openers.

Mississippi State grabbed the opening doubles point with solid 8-4

wins at both the No. 1 and No. 2 positions. Southern Mississippi was forced

to forfeit on court three as only five Lady Eagles made the trip to

Starkville.

MSU entered singles play with a 2-0 lead after USM forfeited the

match on court six. The lead was quickly expanded to 3-0, when senior Linda

Mattsson ousted Molly Boutreis 6-0, 6-1 at the No. 4 position. Freshman

Yumi Ueda, playing in her first-ever dual match, then clinched the victory

for State with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Tina Rautajoki at No. 5.

Senior Claudia Oliveira continued to play well for the Lady Bulldogs winning 7-6 (3), 6-1 over Jackie Prew at the No. 1 spot. Moments after Oliveira finished her match, senior Anca Vasiloaica extended the MSU lead to 6-0 with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Patty Kundisova on court No. 2. The final match of the day went to junior Carole Soubis of Moulins,

France, who defeated Marie Lindberg 6-4, 7-5 at No. 3. Soubis, playing in

her first match since last May, won three consecutive games to end the

match and stave off a third set. Southern Miss will play at Auburn, Feb. 11.

No. 40 MISSISSIPPI STATE 7, SOUTHERN MISS 0

DOUBLES - Claudia Oliveira/Yumi Ueda (MSU) def. Patty

Kundisova/Jackie Prew (USM) 8-4; Linda Mattsson/Carole Soubis (MSU) def.

Marie Lindberg/Tina Rautajoki (USM) 8-4; Camila Sagae/Anca Vasiloaica

(MSU) won by default.

SINGLES-Oliveira (MSU) def. Prew (USM) 7-6(3), 6-1; Vasiloaica

(MSU) def. Kundisova (USM) 6-2, 6-4; Soubis (MSU) def. Lindberg (USM) 6-4.

7-5; Mattsson (MSU) def. Molly Boutreis (USM) 6-0, 6-1; Ueda (MSU) def.

Rautajoki (USM) 6-0, 6-4; MSU won No. 6 by default.

Coach of the Year: Eugene Lenti, DePaul