By Michael Jacobs
Arizona Daily Wildcat
March 2, 1998

Strong singles play bedevils Arizona State tennis teams

After achieving a donut hole (0-10) in the Pacific 10 Conference last year, the UA men's tennis team finally picked up a win when it defeated Arizona State 5-4 Friday.

"It was (the) first Pac-10 win since I've been here," senior and team captain Jerome Oliveri said.

Senior Roland Kupka persevered 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 over Gustavo Marcaccio in the last match of the day with the score tied at 3-3 at Robson Tennis Center.

No. 43 Arizona State gained momentum by winning the doubles point early in the afternoon. But No. 61 Arizona steam-rolled the Sun Devils in singles play with a 4-2 derailment. Sophomore Michel Stopa, senior Mike MacKay and junior Pascal Salasca finalized solo victories before Kupka's dramatic clincher.

No. 61 Arizona, victors of four straight at home, improved to 4-3 on the year and now stand at 1-2 in the Pac-10.

Tennis courts at the Whiteman Center on the Arizona State campus froze over on Saturday as the UA women's tennis team cooled the Sun Devils with a 5-4 victory.

Senior Vicky Maes, ranked No. 44, trounced No. 38 Reka Cserenyes in the top singles slot. Senior Betsy Miringoff and doubles partner Monique Allegre, a sophomore, hammered the Sun Devils by defeating Celena McCoury and Alison Nash 8-3 in the day's finale.

The Wildcats carved a 4-2 lead after singles play and then took one of three in doubles.

Arizona now stands at 6-2 including a 2-1 record in the Pac-10.