Oct. 26, 2008

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Lamar University women's tennis team had a very strong showing at the 2008 Wilson/ITA Southwest Regional Championships held at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on the TCU campus.

Senior Maria Gutierrez, the No.1 ranked player in the qualifying draw, lived up to her billing in the qualifying round. She opened the tournament with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Claire Clark of Louisiana Monroe, and followed that with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Amy Joubert of North Texas. In her third match of the qualifier she rolled to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Texas Tech's Kerryn Potgieter, advancing her to the tournament main draw.

With Maria Gutierrez making her way to the main draw, she gave Lamar a pair of athletes in the 64-player field as she joined her younger sister Mariaryeni Gutierrez who held the 13th seed in the tournament. The sisters made their mark in the early going of the main draw, both winning their first match.

Maria Gutierrez made a splash in her first match, knocking off the No. 8 seed Natalia Bubien of SMU 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4. In her second match she dropped a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Lauren Santacroce of Texas A&M.

In Mariaryeni Gutierrez's first match of the tournament she defeated Rebekka Hanle of Rice University 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 to advance. In her second match she came up short against Katariina Yuohimaa of TCU 6-3, 6-2/

Also participating in singles qualifying draw was junior Manami Kuroda and freshman Constanza Gonzalez. Kuroda opened play with a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Lynley Wasson of the University of Houston and Gonzalez fell 6-3, 6-1 to No. 8 seeded Kathrin Lange of Northwestern State. In their consolation matches Kuroda lost to Latalie Leitch of Texas Tech 6-3, 6-4 and Gonzalez lost to Milou Isreal of Louisiana Lafayette 4-6. 6-1, 10-3.

In doubles play the Gutierrez sisters, who held the No. 13 seed, began play as they rolled over tandem of Alix Young and Neila Starratt of the University of Houston 8-0. The sisters were knocked out of the tournament in the next round, dropping a tough 9-7 decision to Kayla Duncan and Gaby Mastromarino of TCU.