FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10-15-01

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Monday, October 22
No Events Scheduled

Tuesday, October 23
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, October 24
• Volleyball at North Florida, 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 25
No Events Scheduled

Friday, October 26
• Volleyball vs. Lander, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 27
• Volleyball vs. USC Spartanburg, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 28
No Events Scheduled

Volleyball (21-7 Overall, 6-2 Peach Belt, t8th South Region)

The Armstrong Atlantic State volleyball team extended its season-high winning streak to seven matches by going 5-0 this past week, including a perfect 4-0 performance at the Catawba adidas Invitational this weekend in Salisbury, N.C.

The Pirates started the week off well with a 30-20, 30-23, 30-23 win over USC Aiken on Wednesday evening, AASU's eighth straight win over the Pacers.

AASU then traveled to Catawba for action in the Catawba adidas Invitational. The Pirates began the tournament on Friday afternoon by defeating the host Catawba Indians 30-28, 27-30, 30-22, 30-27, led by tournament MVP Sarah Haynes' 22 kills and Erin Melius' career-high 70 assists. AASU then knocked off Slippery Rock, 30-17, 30-28, 34-32 behind Shelley Weekes and Sofie Hakansson, who each had 12 kills.

On Saturday, the Pirates continued to roll through the tournament with a 30-17, 30-23, 30-24 win over Converse, led by Weekes' 17 kills, and then completed the perfect weekend of action with a 30-20, 30-25, 30-25 win over Tusculum as five AASU players recorded double-digit kills.

The Pirates, now 21-7 overall, have won 20 or more matches in three consecutive seasons and this week play at No. 25 North Florida on Wed., Oct. 24 at 7:00 p.m., before closing out their home schedule with matches on Fri., Oct. 26 at 7:00 p.m. against Lander and on Sat., Oct. 27 at 4:00 p.m. against USC Spartanburg.

Women's Tennis

Sophomore Zsofi Golopencza and senior Michaela Kratochvilova traveled to McKinney, Texas, for the ITA Small College National Championships at Collin County Community College.

Golopencza won three matches to capture the Division II Women's Singles championship. She defeated Deniz Emre of Lees-McRae, 6-0, 6-0, in the first round, then knocked off Layla Turner of Eastern New Mexico, 6-0, 6-2, in the semifinals. Golopencza then captured the championship with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Monika Mastalirova of Lynn in the finals.

Kratochvilova also took part in the singles draw, replacing an injured Carina Kaempfer of Northwood. Kratochvilova finished in seventh place in the singles draw, losing to the No. 2 seed Mastalirova, 6-3, 6-4, and to Ana Skafar of Lees-McRae, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, before beating Erin Bartsch of Bloomsburg, 6-1, 6-1, in the seventh place match.

In doubles, Kratochvilova and Golopencza advanced to the finals by beating Abbie Sweitzer and Kate Opilo of Millersville, 8-0, and Nikita Bharwai and Robyn Jaeger of Grand Canyon, 8-1, but lost in the championship match to Victoria Domina and Brenda Magnetti of Ouachita Baptist, 8-5.

For winning the DII Singles championship, Golopencza advanced to the "Super Bowl" that pits the winners of all four divisions of the Small College National Championships. Golopencza defeated the DIII champion, Elena Blanina of Methodist, 6-3, 6-1, but lost in the final to the NAIA and defending "Super Bowl" champion, Antonina Grib of Brenau, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

The AASU women's team wraps up fall competition at the Southern Intercollegiates in Columbia, S.C., on Nov. 2-4.

Men's Tennis

The Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis team competed this week in the 2001 USC Fall Invitational in Columbia, S.C.

Freshman Achim Roth advanced to the Round of 16 in the A-2 Singles draw, winning two matches on Friday. Roth defeated Atiba Wing of JCSU, 6-1, 6-0, then knocked off Tomas Ibler of Hampton, 6-3, 6-2, but on Saturday, Roth lost to the No. 6 seed David Nelson of South Carolina, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.

Two other Pirates won their opening round matches in the A-2 singles draw as sophomore Roger Thiele defeated Mauricio Cabrini of UNC Wilmington, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, and freshman Dale White defeated Time Bainton of George Mason, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, but both players lost in their second-round matches.

Senior John Stone won two matches in the B-3 Singles draw, defeating Brent Richardson of Cumberland, 6-2, 6-2, and Matt Chenault of James Madison, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 before falling to Will Elliott of USC Aiken, 6-2, 7-5, in the quarterfinals.

The men's tennis team wraps up play in the fall season as they travel to St. Augustine, Fla., for the Flagler Fall Collegiates on Nov. 9-11.

- Pirates -