Wildcats win two regional titles

ACU men, women advance to national tournament

ABILENE – The ACU men’s and women’s tennis teams each won their respective NCAA Division II Central Region tennis championships Saturday to advance to next week’s national tournament.

The ACU women (27-5) defeated Midwestern State, 5-0, to win the regional title and advance to the national tournament for the eighth straight year.  The ACU men (17-13) also beat Midwestern State, 5-4, to capture the regional title and return to the national tournament after missing the tournament in 2002.

The national tournament will be played May 8-11 in Almonte Springs, Fla., with the Central Florida Sports Commission and Sunshine State Conference serving as co-hosts.

On the men’s side, the Wildcats took a 2-1 lead after doubles play with the team of Sal Taweel and Julien Curatella winning at No. 1 and the team of Trent Broach and Jason Purser winning at No. 3.  In singles play, the Wildcats won at No. 1 (Curatella), No. 2 (Broach) and No. 6 (Max Lawrence).  Lawrence rallied from down a set to beat Jared King, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, in the decisive match.

On the women’s side, ACU had no trouble with the Lady Indians, winning all three doubles matches and then getting singles victories from Sarah Taweel and Colleen Reynolds.

MEN
Abilene Christian 5, Midwestern State 4
Singles -- Julien Curatella, ACU, def. Gene, MSU, 6-2, 4-6, (6-1); Trent Broach, ACU, def. John Luxton, MSU, 7-5, 6-2; Garza, MSU, def. Clayton Morgan, ACU, 6-2, 7-6; Ryan Gillan, MSU, def. Jason Ray, ACU, 6-4, 7-6; Rohan Williams, MSU, def. Evan Puglia, ACU, 3-6, 6-2, (6-3); Max Lawrence, ACU, def. Jared King, MSU, 3-6, 6-2, (6-3).
Doubles -- Taweel-Curatella, ACU, def. Gene-Luxton, MSU, 8-6; Gillan-Williams, MSU, def. Ray-Puglia, ACU, 8-6; Broach-Purser, ACU, def. Garza-Gere Ligeon, MSU, 9-7.

WOMEN
Abilene Christian 5, Midwestern State 0
Singles -- Sarah Taweel, ACU, def. Kama Scott, MSU, 6-0, 6-0; Colleen Reynolds, ACU, def. Lacey Wuthrich, MSU, 6-3, 6-0.
Doubles -- Kristin Chumley-Taweel, ACU, def. Tiffany Burgess-Scott, MSU, 8-4; Rachel Taylor-Lacy Johnson, ACU, def. Emilee Black-Brroke Gray, MSU, 8-1; Reynolds-Joy Israel, ACU, def. Wuthrich-Jennifer Hays, MSU, 8-4.