March 21, 2002
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This Week
The San Diego State women's tennis team, on the heels of consecutive victories over nationally-ranked competition for the first time this season, travels to Las Vegas for a pair of neutral-site Mountain West Conference matches. On Friday, the 39th-ranked Aztecs will play Utah, prior to battling 31st-ranked Brigham Young on Saturday. San Diego State returns home and will open a three-match homestand against UNLV on March 28.
No. 39 With A Bullet
SDSU entered the Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings top 40 for the first time this season on Wednesday. The Aztecs, which were 53rd the previous week, jumped to their highest position since holding down No. 32 during the third week of March 2001. San Diego State was 44th in the 2002 preseaon poll.
Tornier Honored By MWC
Junior Silvia Tornier was named the Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for the period ending March 19. A native of Hamburg, Germany, Tornier led the Aztecs to upset victories over 18th-ranked Notre Dame and 41st-ranked Kansas State. The junior posted a pair of victories over ranked opponents, defeating 63rd-ranked Becky Varnum of Notre Dame, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6), and 111th-ranked Alena Jecminkova of Kansas State, 6-3, 6-1. In doubles action, Tornier teamed with Indra Erichsen to claim an 8-0 victory in number two doubles against Kansas State.
Snapping The Ranked Jinx
As previously mentioned, SDSU defeated two nationally-ranked teams this past week breaking a streak of seven consecutive losses to nationally ranked opponents dating back to last season. SDSU was 0-6 against ranked teams this season prior to knocking off 18th-ranked Notre Dame, 5-2, last Friday. The victory over the Irish represented the highest ranked team the Aztec women have defeated in more than two seasons. Proving that it was no fluke, the Aztecs followed the Irish victory up with a 5-2 decision over 41st-ranked Kansas State on Tuesday. In those two matches, the Aztecs posted a 9-3 record in singles play. It should be noted that although the Aztecs have six losses against nationally-ranked opponents, all six came to foes ranked 29th or better at match time. In addition two of those losses were by scores of 4-3.
Quick Volleys
* The Aztecs 7-6 record this season is one game off their 6-7 mark after 13 matches last season.
* Silvia Tornier, who has played 11 of her 13 dual matches at number one singles, is 8-5 in the dual campaign with three victories over ranked opponents.
* Katja Karrento and Katalina Romero have combined to post a 9-4 record in dual-doubles competition this season... The nine victories are the most by any Aztec pair this season... The two knocked off the 53rd-ranked doubles team from Kansas State in their first match playing number one doubles.
* Saturday's opponent, Brigham Young, defeated San Diego State twice last season. Both those contests resulted in scores of 4-3, including the championship match of the 2001 Mountain West Conference Championship.
* San Diego State outscored its last two ranked foes 10-4 after being outscored by nationally-ranked competition 35-7 in the previous six matches against ranked teams.