Tennis Players Compete in National Clay Court Championships

BALTIMORE -- Individuals from both the men and women's tennis teams finished participation in the T. Rowe Price National Intercollegiate Clay Court Tennis Championships Friday in Baltimore.

Eline Chiew was the Cougar with the most success in the tournament, making it to the second round of the women's singles competition before losing to Celeste Frey of the University of Mississippi in a three hour match, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

"(Eline) played really, really well," BYU women's tennis coach Craig Manning said. "She was two points away from winning at one point. It was a long match, three hours, and everyone was really impressed. You can never be completely satisfied with a loss, but we saw some good things we can work from. I'm happy with what we did."

Chiew reached the second round after defeating Georgia's Lori Grey, 6-1, 6-3 in the first round.

Gee Gee Garvin also played in the championships, but failed to make it to the main draw of the singles, losing in the qualifying rounds to Ivana Belancic of Mississippi St., 8-6.

The doubles team of Chew/Garvin made it to the second round of the main draw for women's doubles after receiving a bye in the first round. They fell to the team of Zoe Mellis/Anne Nguyen of Georgia, 8-6.

"I was happy with the way they played," Manning said. "It was early-season tennis and you could tell they had only been playing together for a few weeks, but there were some good things."

On the men's side, both Gert Vilms and Damien Ward qualified for the singles main draw. Vilms defeated Juan Yanuzzi of East Tennessee State, 8-4, and Ward qualified by beating Ryan Shupe of Texas Tech, 8-3.

Both players lost in the first round of main draw play. Top-ranked Alex Fiedler of Pacific defeated Vilms, 8-3. Ward was defeated by Dietrich Haug, also of Pacific, 8-6.

Vilms and Ward also qualified for the main draw in the double competition, but lost to Steve Huss/ Tiago Ruffoni of Auburn, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.

WOMEN'S RESULTS:

Singles:

Qualifying Round:

Ivana Belancic, Miss. St. def. Gee Gee Garvin, 8-6

Eliene Chew pre-qualified

First Round:

Eliene Chew def. Lori Grey, Georgia, 6-1, 6-3

Second Round:

(4) Celeste Frey, Miss. def. Eliene Chew, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2

Doubles:

First Round:

Chew/Garvin received a BYE

Second Round:

Zoe Mellis/ Anne Nguyen, Georgia def. Chiew/Garvin, 8-6

MEN'S RESULTS:

Singles:

Qualifying Round:

Gert Vilms def. Juan Yanuzzi, E. Tenn. St., 8-4

Damien Ward def. Ryan Shupe, Texas Tech., 8-3

First Round:

Alex Fiedler, Pacific def. Vilms, 8-3

Dietrich Haug, Pacific def. Ward, 8-6

Doubles:

First Round:

Steve Huss/ Tiago Ruffoni, Auburn, def. Vilms/Ward, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4