Oct. 3, 1999

HOUSTON, Texas - The Texas Tech women's tennis team completed it's first tournament of the season Sunday at the University of Houston Fall Classic. Senior Amanda Earhart provided the highlight for the team as she finished fourth in the flight 2 portion of the tournament.

Earhart won her first round match against Nicoleta Spilka of New Mexico in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. She then fell in the semifinals to eventual flight champion Mette Sigmunstand of Houston in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 1-6. In the consolation match Earhart lost to Bianca Posada of Tulsa in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.

Freshman Sonia Orellano also adavanced to the semifinals and finished with a fourth place finish in flight 3. Orellano won her first round match in straight sets against Tiffany Schmidt of Southwest Texas (6-0, 6-2) but lost her semifinal match to New Mexico's Neza Kurnik, 6-5, 6-4. Orellano dropped her consolation round match 7-6, 6-2 to Texas El-Paso's Ana Brnas.

In other Red Raider action, Michelle Colaninni finished sixth in the flight 3 singles competition while Valentina Espinosa and Noel Ruiz finished sixth and seventh respectively in the flight 4 portion of the tournament. Zana Zlebnik, the team's top singles player currently ranked No. 94 in the nation in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, did not compete in the tournament due to injury.

The UH Fall Classic featured athletes from six schools, Tulsa, New Mexico, Houston, Southwest Texas, Texas - El Paso and Tech. The Red Raider women's team will be back in action next week as they travel to Tulsa Okla., to compete at the University of Tulsa Hurricane Invitational, held Friday through Sunday on the Tulsa campus.

TTU