CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Graduate student Emilie Scribot returns a serve in a home match early this season. The fifth-ranked Scribot leads the Wildcats into this weekend's first round of the NCAA tournament against Niagara.

Arizona tennis will take its show on the road this weekend to Bean-Town, where the No. 16 ranked women begin first-round action in the NCAA regional tournament.

The nations fifth ranked player in Emilie Scribot and No. 29 Maja Mlakar lead the Wildcats into Boston on Friday and Saturday to compete against their first round draw, Niagara University.

Joining Arizona and Niagara in their 16th seed bracket will be host team Harvard and Oklahoma State.

The Purple Eagles of Niagara will be making their inaugural appearance in the 64-team NCAA tournament. Niagara, one of eight teams making their first post-season appearance, is coming off an upstart season that saw the Purple Eagles capture the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. The up-state New York school swept through its MAAC schedule going a perfect 9-0 in conference play and 19-1 overall. The lone loss for the Purple Eagles came on the racquets of Bucknell University at home on February 25.

For Arizona traveling to the eastern seaboard should not be a problem. Head coach Vicky Maes feels her squad will be able to adjust to the cooler climate of the Northeast.

"If anything it is easier to play in mild weather," the second year coach said. "We have a lot of foreign born players who are used to that kind of weather."

It may be tougher to travel to Arizona than to anywhere else due to the extreme heat in Tucson, Maes said.

This will be Arizona's first match against the U.S./ Canada bordering school located a mere four-miles from the famous Niagara waterfalls. The farthest east the Wildcats have played outdoors this season is Waco, Texas against Baylor University.

The weather in Boston this weekend is expected to be around 57 degrees for the high and 44 as the low. Friday the area is expected to receive scattered showers. Arizona's match up on Friday versus the Purple Eagles is slated to begin at 3 p.m.

Should Arizona advance to the second round they will face the winner between the Harvard/ Oklahoma State contest.

"Not to overlook our match with Niagara, but I think it will be interesting to play a team such as Harvard," Maes said of the possible second-round matchup.

According to Maes, because Harvard plays the same competition during its regular season, a matchup with the Cantabs could be a tough one öö a Cantab is a term referred to the Harvard mascot, a Puritan, Pilgrim-like figure adorning 17th century garb.

The Pac-10 champion Wildcats will send a full squad to Boston and will need consist play from the bottom of its lineup to be successful this weekend against the Purple Eagles. Players such as Kelly Perry, Zorica Zasova and Debbie Larocque will need to step up their games in order for Arizona to enjoy a long post-season run.

On Thursday, Arizona received word from the NCAA that three of its players and one of its doubles combos have been selected to participate in the 2003 NCAA Division I Tennis Tournament. France native Scribot, Slovenia native Mlakar and Dianne Hollands from New Zealand have been chosen to represent the UA in the NCAAs. Scribot and Mlakar will team up to be the lone Wildcat duo in the tourney.

All the first and second round matches will be played at Beren Tennis Center on the campus of Harvard in Cambridge, Mass.