Oct. 10, 2008

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech women's tennis team started the Midland Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational in impressive fashion as six of the first seven matches went to the Lady Raiders.

Senior Samantha van der Drift advanced to the quarterfinals of her bracket. She beat Baylor's Zuzana Chmelarova 6-1, 6-1, in the opening match and will play Pepperdine's No 1 player tomorrow. Sophomore Kelsy Garland won her first two matches as well to advance to the round of 16.

The duo then paired up for doubles and continued winning. Van der Drift and Garland advances to the quarters as they push their season record to 5-1.

Freshman Natalie Leitch won her first match of the day by beating Jaclyn Walker of Abilene Christian 6-4, 7-6 but lost to Baylor's Karolina Filipiak 6-4, 7-6, who is ranked No. 120 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Leitch and freshman Stefanie Peana beat Rice's No. 1 doubles team to move on to the quarterfinals.

The Lady Raiders continue action tomorrow in Midland, Texas, starting at 9 a.m.