April 11, 2002

BIRMINGHAM Ð The UAB women's tennis team is set to host a pair of matches this weekend at the Brook Highland Racquet Club. Friday, the Blazers will take on the 42nd-ranked Crimson Tide in a 2.pm. tilt and then host the Ragin' Cajuns in a 1 p.m. match on Sunday.

The Blazers are 8-9 on the season and 4-1 in Conference USA play. Last weekend, UAB went 1-1, defeating Georgia State, 4-2 before falling 6-1 to 69th-ranked Middle Tennessee. In the latest Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings, senior Monika Schmid and sophomore Femke deBoer debuted this season at the No. 57 slot. The Blazer duo is 11-4 in dual-match play at the No. 1 spot and have beat ranked tandems such as Auburn's 28th-ranked Katia Illarionova and Carolina Maurer.

Alabama is coming off two losses this past weekend to No. 6 Vanderbilt and No. 15 Kentucky. The Crimson Tide fell 6-1 to the Commodores and 7-0 to the Wildcats, giving them a 12-8 overall record and 3-7 in the SEC. Weyli Chang was the Tide's only bright spot during the weekend, bringing home their lone point against VU. Chang earned a 6-2, 6-3 victory at No. 4 singles over Vanderbilt's Annie Menees.

Louisiana-Lafayette is 6-6 on the season and is coming of a 6-1 victory over Northwestern State. Vinca Rampen, the Ragin' Cajuns top player, sits at 18-4 on the season. Against Northwestern, she upended Eliza Young 6-0, 6-2.

The Blazers will wrap-up spring play this weekend and then head to the C-USA Championship April 18.