The UA women's tennis team opened its 2002 fall season over the weekend with a dominant team performance, including several impressive individual accomplishments at the Rice Invitational Tournament in Humble, Texas.

UA sophomores Maja Mlakar and Dianne Hollands both advanced to the individual championship match Sunday.

Hollands, the 85th-ranked player in the nation, upset her teammate and 13th-ranked Mlakar in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to claim the top-flight championship.

"(Dianne) really worked hard and she had to transition her game and adventure out and do some things she's not really comfortable with," Arizona head coach Vicky Maes said. "She kind of put it all together in this tournament. She played some very good matches but to finish it off with beating Maja, I mean, that's a very good win for her."

Junior Debbie Larocque ended up advancing to the finals of the consolation bracket, where she beat Long Beach State's Lindsey Marvel, 6-2, 6-2.

In the second flight, UA sophomore Kelly Perry defeated Long Beach State's Claudia Argumedo, 6-4, 6-4, to claim fifth place, while sophomore Marie-Pier Pouliot fell to Lee College's Karen Chao after winning the first set, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

The only Wildcat playing in the third flight of singles, freshman Kristy Randono defeated Cristina Mancheno of Lee College on Sunday, 6-0, 6-2, to claim fifth place in the flight.

"I was pleasantly surprised by the newcomers, Kelly and Kristy, in their effort and spirit," Maes said. "They haven't been part of the program very long but it seems like they've been here for years."

In doubles action, the nation's fourth-ranked duo of Mlakar and Larocque dominated the first three rounds of competition en route to the championship match, where they were upset by the 29th-ranked team of Valerie Vladea and Michaela Havelkova of Minnesota, 8-6.

Hollands and Pouliot were successful in their first two matches, but lost in the third round. They ended up taking third place, behind Mlakar and Larocque, by defeating Minnesota's Nischela Reddy and Jeanette Cluskey, 8-3.

The team has a week off before heading to the All-American Championships in Los Angeles on Oct. 6-13.