Lady Rams Face WCU At Nationals Tuesday @ 1 PM

MOBILE, Ala—The University of Mobile women’s tennis team will battle Southern States Athletic Conference foe and 12^th-ranked William Carey University in the opening round of the 2011 NAIA Women’s Tennis National Championship May 17 at 1 pm at the Mobile Tennis Center.

The Lady Rams are 7-8 on the season and received the host bid to the tournament, while William Carey boasts a 14-6 record and received one of the 9 at-large selections to the 24-team, single-elimination tournament. Mobile is making its 7^th-straight trip to the elite field and 18^th trip overall, while William Carey is making its first-ever appearance at nationals.

In the teams’ lone meeting during the regular season this year, William Carey won 8-1. They swept doubles play, and Mobile’s lone victory came in the form of a 7-5, 6-2 victory from Claudia Borges at No. 1 singles. Rachel Hartley battled to a 4-6, 6-2 (4-7) loss at No. 2, but the 3-6 singles slots only took three games versus the Lady Crusaders.

William Carey smoked tournament qualifier Martin Methodist 9-0 and defeated another tournament team, Lindsey Wilson, 5-4. They lost to Auburn-Montgomery 2-7. Mobile is 0-2 on the season against tourney teams, falling to AUM and William Carey.

The top eight seeds received a bye and will await Tuesday’s winners for second-round play Wednesday. Fresno Pacific is returning Champion, while Auburn-Montgomery has won it all eight times in the last 11 years.

Tuesday, May 17
Match 1 1 p.m. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) vs. Martin Methodist (Tenn.)
Match 2 1 p.m. Vanguard (Calif.) vs. Bethel (Kan.)
Match 3 1 p.m. Mobile (Ala.) vs. William Carey (Miss.)
Match 4 1 p.m. Lee (Tenn.) vs. Indiana Southeast
Match 5 1 p.m. McKendree (Ill.) vs. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
Match 6 1 p.m. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) vs. Walsh (Ohio)
Match 7 1 p.m. Nebraska Wesleyan vs. SCAD Savannah (Ga.)
Match 8 1 p.m. Indiana Wesleyan vs. William Jewell (Mo.)

Wednesday, May 18
Match 9 1 p.m. No. 1 Fresno Pacific (Calif.) vs. Match 1 Winner
Match 10 1 p.m. No. 8 Brenau (Ga.) vs. Match 2 Winner
Match 11 1 p.m. No. 5 Oklahoma Christian vs. Match 3 Winner
Match 12 1 p.m. No. 4 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) vs. Match 4 Winner
Match 13 1 p.m. No. 3 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) vs. Match 5 Winner
Match 14 1 p.m. No. 6 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) vs. Match 6 Winner
Match 15 1 p.m. No. 7 Concordia (Calif.) vs. Match 7 Winner
Match 16 1 p.m. No. 2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) vs. Match 8 Winner