FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-25-06

Men’s Tennis: No. 19 Florida Gulf Coast 5, No. 6 AASU 4
Women's Tennis: No. 1 AASU 9, No. 21 Florida Gulf Coast 0

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State split a dual match on Saturday with Florida Gulf Coast at Bacon Park. The top-ranked Lady Pirates blanked the No. 21-ranked Lady Eagles, 9-0, while the No. 19-ranked FGCU men upset the No. 6-ranked Pirates, 5-4.

The defending DII national champion Lady Pirates won their 45th straight match, winning all three doubles matches and picking up straight set wins in all six singles matches. Iuliia Stupak defeated Maria Braniecka, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 1 singles to pace the Lady Pirates, while Luisa Cowper, Dziyana Nazaruk, Johanna Dahlback, Sofia Haggstrom and Kristen Kelly all picked up singles wins.

The Pirate men won two of three doubles matches, then won the first set in all six singles matches to look well on the way to victory. The Eagles rallied back to win four singles matches in the third set, however, to take the win. Paul Bishop defeated former AASU player Tim Offermann, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2 singles to lead the Pirates.

AASU returns to action on Sunday with two dual matches against PBC foe North Georgia and cross-town rival SCAD at Bacon Park.

- Pirates -

Women's Tennis: No. 1 AASU 9, No. 21 Florida Gulf Coast 0

Singles
1. Iuliia Stupak (AASU) def. Maria Braniecka (FGCU) 6-1, 6-0
2. Luisa Cowper (AASU) def. Maria Maggiorini (FGCU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Dziyana Nazaruk (AASU) def. Jonalea Hileman (FGCU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Johanna Dahlback (AASU) def. Lydia Diaz Galindo (FGCU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Sofia Haggstrom (AASU) def. Krista Polulak (FGCU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Kristen Kelly (AASU) def. Brett Kinley (FGCU) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles
1. Manuela Emmrich/Caroline Grage (AASU) def. Braniecka/Hileman (FGCU) 8-2
2. Dahlback/Nazaruk (AASU) def. Polulak/Maggiorini (FGCU) 8-0
3. Haggstrom/Kelly (AASU) def. Kinley/Galindo (FGCU) 9-7
Records: AASU (15-0), Florida Gulf Coast (9-4)



Men's Tennis: No. 19 Florida Gulf Coast 5, No. 6 AASU 4

Singles
1. Juan Carlos Osorio (FGCU) def. Davor Zink (AASU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-0
2. Paul Bishop (AASU) def. Tim Offerman (FGCU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Alberto Gutierrez (FGCU) def. Robert Jendelund (AASU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
4. Gavin Manders (FGCU) def. Taavo Roos (AASU) 1-6, 7-5, 5-3, retired
5. David Secker (AASU) def. Danny Lee (FGCU) 7-6 (1), 6-0
6. Edson Lima (FGCU) def. Kevin Sijmons (AASU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Doubles
1. Osorio/Offerman (FGCU) def. Jendelund/Roos (AASU) 8-6
2. Bishop/Secker (AASU) def. Gutierrez/Manders (FGCU) 8-3
3. Cristian Easton/Zink (AASU) def. Lima/Lee (FGCU) 8-4
Records: AASU (10-5), Florida Gulf Coast (13-3)