Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
SMU<BR>(WAC Tournament)
No. 25 Women's Tennis Wins WAC Title
4/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 28, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Top-seeded Fresno State cruised past No. 3-seed SMU 4-0 to win the WAC Tournament on Sunday at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, Okla. For the Bulldogs (16-5), it marks the first conference championship since the 1998-99 season and avenges last year's upset loss to TCU in the WAC title match.
For the third consecutive day, Fresno State jumped to a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. But unlike in their first two tournament matches, the Bulldogs struggled in winning two of three matches. At No. 1, the No. 10-ranked team of Simone Jardim and Kim Niggemeyer breezed past SMU's Kit Carson and Nadia Vaughan 8-1. But the Mustangs came back with an 8-4 win at No. 2 when Jenny Langer and former Bulldog Lynsie Jones took out FS's Chloe Carlotti and Lucia Tallo 8-4. But clinching the point were Chantel Wiggins and Courtney Jantz at No. 3. The tandem defeated Siayareh Rambally and Allison Leuszler 8-6.
Singles was far easier for the Bulldogs, who had no problems at Nos. 1, 2 and 3 singles. The No. 39-ranked Niggemeyer was victorious at No. 1 6-3, 6-3 over Carson. Carlotti, ranked 43th in the nation, ran her record to a perfect 3-0 in this year's WAC Tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Langer. Also victorious was Jardim at No. 3. She picked up a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Vaughan.
Niggemeyer and Carlotti were rewarded for their stellar seasons by being selected first-team All-WAC. Jardim was named second-team all-conference. Niggemeyer was the WAC Player of the Year, Carlotti the Freshman of the Year and Kevin Epley the Coach of the Year.
With the victory, 25th-ranked Fresno State clinches an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, which begins May 10 at campus sites around the nation.
(1) Fresno State - 4
(3) SMU - 0
Doubles (Fresno State wins point)
1. Niggemeyer/Jardim (FS) def. Carson/Vaughan (SMU) 8-1
2. Langer/Jones (SMU) def. Tallo/Carlotti (FS) 8-4
3. Wiggins/Jantz (FS) def. Rambally/Leuszler (SMU) 8-6
Singles
1. Kim Niggemeyer (FS) def. Kit Carson (SMU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Chloe Carlotti (FS) def. Jenny Langer (SMU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Simone Jardim (FS) def. Nadia Vaughan (SMU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Lynsie Jones (SMU) vs. Lucia Tallo (FS) Did not finish
5. Siayareh Rambally (SMU) vs. Chantel Wiggins (FS) Did not finish
6. Allison Leuszler (SMU) vs. Ewa Grusiecka (FS) Did not finish
