March 21, 2002

BIRMINGHAM - The UAB women's tennis team will play host to 32nd-ranked Auburn Friday in a 2 p.m. match at the Brook Highland Racquet Club.

The Blazers are 4-5 overall this season and 2-1 in Conference USA. Last weekend, UAB traveled to Mobile, Ala. to take on 35th-ranked South Alabama and Western Michigan. Despite falling to the nationally ranked Jaguars, the Blazers came back the next day to defeat the Broncos 4-2. The Blazers captured the all important doubles point at the beginning of the match and never looked back. UAB took singles wins at the No.1, No.4 and No.6 positions to clinch the match.

The Tigers come to Birmingham with a 10-3 record and ranked 32nd in the latest ITA rankings. Auburn is 4-3 in the Southeastern Conference, thanks to three recent wins over No. 25 Mississippi, Mississippi State and No. 47 LSU. Tiger Carolina Ramirez is ranked 116 nationally, while the tandem of Katia Illarionova and Carolina Maurer are currently ranked 28th.

Next week, the Blazers will travel to Bermuda during spring break to play three matches, including two C-USA teams, Memphis and Cincinnati.