FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 10-1-01

AASU Duo Captures ITA Southeast Regional Doubles Title

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The top-seeded Armstrong Atlantic State duo of sophomore Zsofi Golopencza and senior Michaela Kratochvilova captured the 2001 ITA Women's Tennis Southeast Regional on Monday morning, defeating Clayton State's Nathalia Collantes and Jackeline Nieto, 8-0.

The duo qualify for the ITA National Championships, to be held in Dallas, Texas, on October 19-21. Golopencza and Kratochvilova, ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division II last season, represent the first doubles team to advance to the ITA Nationals for AASU since Laura Nhavene and Hiskia van der Leij won the region and national ITA doubles championships in 1997.

In singles action on Monday, the top-seeded Golopencza kept her streak alive of not allowing a game in defeating the No. 4 seed Collantes of Clayton State, 6-0, 6-0. Golopencza will face AASU teammate and No. 5-8 seed Annamaria Forgacs, who recorded a 6-4, 6-2 upset win over the No. 2-seeded Kratochvilova.

Since both singles finalists are from the same school, Forgacs and Golopencza will meet on Tuesday in the singles final at 1:30 p.m. at the AASU Tennis Complex. The winner will be AASU's first region ITA singles winner since Maren Muller captured the 1999 Southeast Regional.

- Pirates -