Wildcats dominate Wal-Mart Open

ACU athletes win nine flight championships at opening event

ABILENE -- The ACU men's and women's tennis teams dominated the opening weekend of the 2003 fall tennis season, winning nine flight championships at the ACU Wal-Mart Open.

ACU newcomers Casper Steenkamp, George Carstens and Kevin Beedy won championships in men's the top three singles flights, respectively, while ACU's Rachel Taylor and newcomer Holly Lindloff won the top two women's singles flights.

In men's doubles action, Trent Broach and Even Puglia teamed up to win the Flight 1 championship, knocking off teammates Steenkamp and Jason Ray, 8-5, in the title match.  In Flight 3 doubles, Carstens and Beedy won the title with an 8-6 championship-match victory.

In women's doubles action, Colleen Reynolds and Lauren Taylor -- likely to form ACU's No. 1 doules team in the spring -- won the Flight 1 championship with an 8-5 win over Reecca Watkins and Janet Chandler of Hardin-Simmons University.  In the Flight 2 doubles championship, ACU's Joy Israel and Ashley Hawk teamed up to defeat teammates Holly Lindloff and Alison Tetrick, 8-4, in the championship match.

The ACU women will host the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional championships this weekend at the Eager Pavilion and the Rose Park Tennis Center.  The ACU men will have the weekend off.

ACU Wal-Mart Open
Saturday's Championship Results
MEN
Singles
Flight 1 -- Casper Steenkamp, ACU, def. Tyrone Hill, ORU, 6-7, 6-4, (10-8)
Flight 2 -- George Carstens, ACU, def. Evan Puglia, ACU, 6-7, 6-1 (10-8)
Flight 3 -- Kevin Beedy, ACU, def. Justin Narvid, McM, 4-6, 6-3 (10-3)
Doubles
Flight 1 -- Broach/Puglia, ACU, def. Steenkamp/Ray, ACU, 8-5
Flight 2 -- Moore/Farahusen, ORU, def. Ligeon/King, MSU, 9-7
Flight 3 -- Carstens/Beedy, ACU def. Richards/Vidal, MSU, 8-6
Flight 4 -- Cobb/Gonzales, HPU, def. Permenter/Banning, ACU, 8-6

WOMEN
Singles
Flight 1 -- Rachel Taylor, ACU, def. Summer Beesley, ACU, 6-2, 6-2
Flight 2 -- Holly Lindloff, ACU, def. Bobbye Thompson, HSU, 7-5, 6-4
Doubles
Flight 1 -- Taylor/Reynolds, ACU, def. Watkins/Chandler, HSU, 8-5
Flight 2 -- Israel/Hawk, ACU, def. Lindloff/Tetrick, ACU, 8-4