Maes, Miringoff have big days for UA at Pacific 10 Championships

Arizona, which finished the conference season in fifth place, finished behind Stanford in Ojai.

Junior Vicky Maes led the Wildcats by reaching yesterday's singles championships before falling to Stanford's Julie Scott, 6-2, 6-3. UA junior Betsy Miringoff also had a big weekend with wins in the Pac-10 Invitational, an event for the players not participating the championships.

Miringoff won the Pac-10 Invitational singles championship yesterday by defeating Teryn Ashley of Stanford, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. The Invitational was composed of the No. 4, 5 and 6 players from each conference team. The Invitational win did not factor into the weekend standings. Miringoff and teammate Monique Allegre won the doubles side of the event by beating Washington's team of Zeta Wagner and Peggy Wu, 6-1, 6-3 as well.

For Maes', it was her first finals appearance of the season. She reached the championship match by defeating California's Amanda Augustus in straight sets on Friday and with a 6-1, 7-6 win over Arizona teammate Karen Goldstein in the semifinals.

Doubles success did not come as easily to the Wildcats.

Maes and her partner Khristen Petrucha, and the team of Goldstein and Stephanie Sammaritano, both lost in the quarterfinals.

Freshman Anne-Laurence Bilenne and Allegre won their first round Invitational matches, but were each defeated in straight sets in Friday's quarterfinals.

The Wildcats went into the weekend knowing they had a chance to be one of the 10 teams that advance directly to the NCAA Championships, skipping Regional play.

"We've been talking about it and feel very positive that we've done what it takes to get in," Sammaritano said. "We're pretty sure the people who represent our conference will go for us."

The Wildcats weren't the only believers going into the weekend.

"They have a very strong record, especially with their final win over Arizona State. They are a strong contender for a top 10 spot," said Cal head coach Jan Brogan, a member of the regional selection committee earlier this week.

The announcement of regional qualifiers and teams which will get byes are expected today.

"If you ask me I think they're in the top 10," Arizona State head coach and West Region committee member Sheila McInerney said.

ששש

The Arizona men's tennis team fared better in doubles competition at the Pac-10's after four players fell in the first round of the singles competition.

Seniors Henrik Wagner and Tom Haugland rallied on Friday in the opening round to beat ASU's Tim Hammond and Alex Osterrieth, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Stanford's freshmen combination of twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan slapped the Arizona duo with a 6-1, 6-1 loss on Saturday.

Senior Roland Kupka and junior Jerome Oliveri lost their first round match on Friday in straight sets to Stanford's Paul Goldstein and Ryan Wolters.

In men's Invitational action, freshman Pepe Devercelli won his first round match in straight sets over UCLA's Darrin Miller, but lost to Southern Cal's Fernando Samayoa, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday.

Junior Mike Mackay lost his opening round match, 6-3, 6-3 to USC's Scott Willinski.

Mackay and Devercelli were eliminated from the Invitational's doubles bracket on Friday after suffering a first-round loss to Stanford's Charles Hoeveler and Misha Palecek, 6-2, 6-0.