Louisiana improves to 2-2

LOUISIANA LA. - For the first time in over a week, rain was not a factor in a tennis match. This time, it was the youthful Louisiana's LAdy Cajuns tennis team, shutting out Sam Houston State 7-0 Sunday afternoon here at Cajun Courts.

It took only four matches to surpass last season's win total for the Cajuns (2-2). Louisiana finished 2003 with a 1-13 overall record.

Four freshmen contributed to the victory. Celine VanWeydeveld improved to 3-1 overall with her third-straight singles victory, a 6-2, 6-0 decision over Mounia Hassib. Cecilia Varela, Shreveport native Kimmie Lyles and Sophie Cerbon recorded straight-set victories for the Cajuns. Varela defeated Cristina Flores 6-1, 6-2, while Cerbon cruised past Amanda Jung 6-0, 6-0. Lyles defeated Erika Rudich 6-2, 6-1.

Junior Susan Linden needed three sets to pull out her second singles win of the season, defeating Emma McDougall 6-3, 4-6, 10-6.

"We played really well today and I am proud of them," said first-year assistant coach Lisa Jackson. "They played with a lot of pride and enthusiasm and we are looking forward to Southeastern Louisiana this week."

In doubles, Linden and Fernanda Kompatscher broke into the win column for the first time this season. The Cajun pair defeated Flores/Hassib 8-1. Lyles/Varela and VanWeydeveld/Bortoletto each evened their doubles marks to 2-2 overall.

Louisiana's LAdy Cajuns tennis team will host Southeastern Louisiana Thursday in a 3 p.m. match at Cajun Courts.

LINE SCORE
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns 7, Sam Houston State 0

Singles
#1 Celine VanWeydeveld (UL) d. Mounia Hassib (SHSU) 6-2, 6-0
#2 Susan Linden (UL) d. Emma McDougall (SHSU) 6-3, 4-6, 10-6
#3 Cecilia Varela (UL) d. Cristina Flores (SHSU) 6-1, 6-2
#4 Kimmie Lyles (UL) d. Erika Rudich (SHSU) 6-2, 6-1
#5 Thais Bortoletto (UL) d. Bethany Yurkiw (SHSU) 6-2, 6-0
#6 Sophie Cerbon (UL) d. Amanda Jung (SHSU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
#1 VanWeydeveld/Bortoletto (UL) d. Flores/Hassib (SHSU) 8-1
#2 Lyles/Varela (UL) d. McDougall/Rudich (SHSU) 8-6
#3 Kompatscher/Linden (UL) d. Jung/Yurwik (SHSU) 8-4

LOUISIANA SI