November 6, 1998

Missouri tennis' rising star Biljana Pawlowa defeated Utah's Linn Ronnberg in her first match of the ITA Rolex Central Region Tournament. Ronnberg, playing at Utah's No. 1 spot, lost in three to Pawlowa, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. In the second round of singles play, Pawlowa lost to Tulsa's Anousjka Van Exel, 6-7(5), 4-6. Van Exel was the No. 1 seed at the tournament and the top player in the central region.

"The cat's out of the bag. (Pawlowa) beat the kid from Utah and no one expected that," head coach Blake Starkey said by phone yesterday.

Freshman Lily Ho was also supposed to travel but was scratched at the last minute for disciplinary reasons.

This tournament ends the Tigers fall season. Their first spring match will be Saturday, January 30, 1999 against SEMO and Northern Iowa. Both matches will be played in Columbia.