Sept. 13, 1999

The Tigers came away from the Lady Razorback Invitational with several wins, a great start to their fall tournament season. With the exception of some rain on Sunday, the invitational was a success. Participating schools included Arkansas, Missouri, Rice, Southern Methodist, Texas-El Paso, and Tulsa. Arkansas was the major powerhouse of the invitational as they made a clean sweep of all of their matches on Sunday.

"We held our own in a tough tournament and I thought we competed well," head coach Blake Starkey said. "I was pleased with the way our girls played,"

Freshman Kristina Olshanskaya and sophomore Julie Thomas were the lone champions for Missouri in Flight "C" doubles. They played in three matches total, winning the championship match by default. Olshanskaya also reached the championship round in her singles flight before falling to Judith Hagedorn of Rice 3-6, 1-6. In Flight "E", sophomore Caitlin Thompson reached the championship match, but fell to another member of the Owls. Jarilynn Gonzalez defeated Thompson in three sets, 2-6, 7-6(4), 3-6.

Starkey expressed a high level of excitement for his players and the rest of the fall season. "Kristina is a very talented player and she has a very good attitude, both on the court and off," Starkey commented. "Caitlin is growing so much as a player. Her confidence level is very exciting."

Lady Razorback Invitational Results

ANDREA FRIEDMAN (Flight "B") Lost to Andrea Ho (Arkansas) 0-6, 1-6, Lost to Elizabeth Stone (UTEP) 3-6, 4-6, Played Jana Perkova (UTEP) cancelled-rain

MARINA ZELENOVIK (Flight "C") Lost to Judith Hagedorn (Rice) 4-6, 1-6, Lost to Elena Madjarova (UTEP) 1-6, 5-7, Played Natalie Briaud (Rice) cancelled-rain

KRISTINA OLSHANSKAYA (Flight "C") Def. Natalie Briaud (Rice) 6-2, 7-6(5), Def. Adriana Lopez (Arkansas) 6-2, 6-3, Lost to Judith Hagedorn (Rice) 3-6, 1-6 (Championship match)

JONI JORDAN (Flight "D") Def. Kylie Wallis (Rice) 6-1, 6-3, Lost to Lindsey Bruce (SMU) 2-6, 3-6, Played Ana Brnas (UTEP) cancelled-rain

CAITLIN THOMPSON (Flight "E") Def. Sara Love Swaney (SMU) 6-0, 4-6, 7-5, Def. Youlia Boyadjeva (Arkansas) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, Lost to Jarilynn Gonzalez (Rice) 2-6, 7-6(4), 3-6 (Championship match)

JULIE THOMAS (Flight "E") Def. Alissa Scott (SMU) 6-4, 7-6(2), Def. Patricia D'Arcy (Arkansas) 6-1, 6-1, Lost to Jarilynn Gonzalez (Rice) 1-6, 0-6, Played Youlia Boyadjeva (Arkansas) cancelled-rain

THOMPSON/ZELENOVIK (Flight "A") Lost to Elle Lewis/Judith Hagedorn (Rice) 2-6, 1-6, Lost to Tanja Magoc/Jana Perkova (UTEP) 1-6, 2-6,

FRIEDMAN/JORDAN (Flight "B") Def. Patricia Ubeda-Diaz/Katie Pruett (SMU) 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, Lost to Aleksandra Durska/Jana Sedivec (Tulsa) 2-6, 1-6, Lost to Jeanette Banholzer/Adriana Lopez (Ark.) 0-8

OLSHANSKAYA/THOMAS (Flight "C") Def. Boyadjieva/D'Arcy (Arkansas) 6-2, 7-6(2), Def. Kerry-Lea Glass/Alissa Scott (UT/SMU) 7-5, 6-2, Def. Stone/Brnas (UTEP) Default (CHAMPIONSHIP)

Elisa Bjorkland (UTEP)/JELENA KOCERGIN (Flight "C") Lost to Stone/Brnas (UTEP) 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-0, Lost to Glass/Scott (UT/SMU) Default