Tuesday October 30, 2001

Wildcats name new women's tennis coach

The UA women's tennis team didn't need to look too far to find its new head coach.

Former UA player and All-American Vicky Maes was named head women's tennis coach yesterday.

Maes has been working in the UA athletic department for the past 20 months. Since her graduation in 1999, she also has been a tennis instructor and spent one season as a volunteer coach on the UA women's squad.

Maes succeeds Brad Dancer, who quit last month to take the men's head coaching position at Fresno State University. Assistant coach Simone Thibodeau was named the interim coach after Dancer's departure.

"This is absolutely a dream come true," Maes said in a press release. "I am so excited to be heading the program and only foresee great things happening. This university and this community mean so much to me and I cannot wait to get started."

"We're delighted to have Vicky take over our women's tennis program," UA athletics director Jim Livengood said. "Her outstanding background as a player, student and citizen bring all the tangibles and intangibles required for a leader of young student-athletes."

Huskies, Cougs end UA streak

Washington and Washington State ended the UA soccer team's two-game winning streak this past weekend.

WSU managed a come-from-behind victory to defeat Arizona 3-1 Sunday afternoon.

UA freshman Vanesha Bailey - who played all three field positions against WSU - rebounded a shot from freshman Candice Wilks to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead in the first half.

Arizona was only able to hold WSU scoreless for the first five minutes of the second half before the Cougars attacked, scoring three goals in a span of nine minutes.

Senior goalkeeper Shannon Monti accumulated 10 saves in front of the net, her third double-digit saved game this season.

The Wildcats had to battle extreme conditions against UW Friday night in their 2-0 loss to the Huskies.

Constant rain, slick playing fields and cold temperatures battered the Wildcats in Seattle.

Arizona kept pace with the Huskies in the first half and did not allow a goal until 31 seconds before halftime, when UW's Gina Brewer's 25-yard shot hit the crossbar and bounced in behind UA's goalkeeper.

Trailing UW 1-0 at halftime, UA's defense allowed the Huskies just one second-half goal, enough to shutout the Wildcats - UA's fifth shutout loss this season.

The Huskies remain flawless against UA with seven series wins.

The weekend losses continued UA's troubles on the road this season, where they haven't lost a game.

The Wildcats (5-9-1, 2-4-0 Pac-10) return to UA's Murphey Stadium for its final three matches of the season.

UA will battle No. 22 California on Friday and then face No. 6 Stanford on Sunday.

The Wildcats conclude their season Nov. 9 against rival Arizona State.

Women's golf leaving dry land

The second-ranked UA women's golf team will head off to the Aloha state for the Hawaii Invitational tomorrow, its third tournament of the year.

The event will feature a field of 19 teams, including Cal, who defeated UA at the Oregon State Invitational earlier this month.

The team played its first two tournaments of the season in Washington and Oregon, and the team complained about the inclement conditions. They finished 2nd and 11th, respectively.

Head coach Greg Allen said he is excited about the chance to play a tournament in which the weather conditions are more familiar.

"Our first two events have been played in cold and rainy weather," Allen said, "It is hard to compete in that type of weather, so we are looking forward to playing in better weather."

Coming off a close one-shot loss to Cal earlier this month, the team has set its sights on revenge. Allen said the team has been practicing well.

"Lorena (Ochoa) is doing awesome as usual, and Anne Lee is really playing well right now," Allen said. "We just need someone else on the team to step up for us."

Both Ochoa and Lee recently competed in the Amateur Spirit International Golf Championship. The two represented their home countries along with a field of golfers from 24 other countries. Ochoa finished first, while Lee came in tenth.

Lee said the fall tournaments and the individual competitions serve as a warm-up for the busier spring season.

"We try to use these fall tournaments to prepare for the spring," Lee said. "Our season really doesn't start until the spring, so these tournaments are like our preseason.

"We are disappointed about the first two tournament results, but not discouraged, Lee said. "If anything, those tournaments have made us stronger."