April 22, 2005

Top-seeded Tulane defeated No. 10 seed UAB, 4-0 Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2005 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship.

The Green Wave dominated the doubles play as teams Jenny Kuehn and Julie Smekodub defeated Annemieke Elsholz and Julie von Samson (8-2) at No. 2, and Ana Saaibi and Nancy Kockott beat Samrin Tanzeem and Jana Wild of UAB (8-0). The sister tandem at the No. 1 spot of Tulane's Maria and Darya Ivanov were leading 7-2 before the best two-out-of-three was determined.

For singles action, Tulane's Maria Ivanov defeated Blazer's Gulsah Esen, 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 1 spot, while sister Darya picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win over Tanzeem at No. 4. Smekodub beat von Samson at the No. 3, 6-3, 6-4 to secure the 4-0 victory for the Wave.

The Green Wave is coming off three titles in the last four seasons, including back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004, and will advance to to face third-seed USF on Saturday at noon.

(1) Tulane 4 def. (10) UAB 0

Singles
1. Maria Ivanov, TUL def. Gulsah Esen, UAB, 6-2, 6-1
2. Jenn Kuehn, TUL vs. Ornischa Maier-Knapp, UAB, DNF (6-2, 1-6, 3-0)
3. Julie Smekodub, TUL def. Julia von Samson, UAB, 6-3, 6-4
4. Darya Ivanov, TUL def. Samrin Tanzeem, UAB, 6-1, 6-2
5. Annemieka Flsholz, UAB vs. Nancy Kockott, TUL, DNF (6-3, 4-3)
6. Antonia Nugent, UAB vs. Ana Saaibi, TUL, DNF (6-4, 3-4)

Doubles
1. Maria Ivanov/Darya Ivanov, TUL vs. Gulsah Esen/Ornischa Maier-Knapp, UAB, DNF (7-2)
2. Jenny Kuehn/Julie Smekodub, TUL def. Annemieke Flshoz/Julia von Samson, UAB, 8-2
3. Ana Saaibi/Nancy Kockott, TUL def. Samrin Tanzeem/Jana Wild, UAB, 8-0