SMU Tennis Players Garner National Rankings In Latest ITA Po

[PonyPride]

SMU Tennis Players Garner National Rankings In Latest ITA Poll

Two Singles and a Doubles Pair Earn Accolades

Feb. 20, 2008

SKILLMAN, N.J. (SMU)--SMU men's and women's tennis players garnered rankings in the latest ITA poll. The men's team had one single ranked, while the women's team saw a single and a pair ranked.

Robin Fahgen earned a No. 50 singles ranking from the ITA in the latest poll. Fahgen, a native of Smedjebacken, Sweden, has compiled an overall singles record of 7-1 so far this season and upset two nationally-ranked opponents. In his first match of the year, Fahgen knocked off then-No. 24 Kellen Damico of Texas at No. 2 singles, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0. At Notre Dame, Fahgen bumped off then-No. 11 Brett Helgeson, 6-2, 6-4.

Natalia Bubien picked up a singles ranking of No. 73. Bubien is 5-2 in singles this season, with wins over two nationally-ranked opponents. At Harvard, Bubien started her season by taking down then-No. 52 Beier Ko, 6-2, 7-5. Two weeks later, Bubien knocked off No. 70 Iryna Tkachenko of Oklahoma State, 6-1, 6-7 (8), 6-2, earning her first Conference USA Tennis Player of the Week honors this spring.

The tandem of Kseniia Tokarieva and Nicole Briceno earned a ranking of No. 38 in the country. Tokarieva and Briceno are 6-1 this season, having most recently upset then-No. 21 Elizabeth Plotkin and Ellah Nze of Duke on Feb. 16, 8-7 (8-6). The duo's only loss this season came to Kristen Bleakley and Catherine Grotz of NC State in a hard-fought match, 9-8 (8-6).

The men's tennis team plays host to No. 66 Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 1:00 p.m. The women's team hosts Conference USA rival Houston on Saturday, Feb. 23 at noon (Highland Park High School) and Texas A&M Corpus Christi Sunday at 11:00 a.m. (Bent Tree Country Club). For the complete schedules and results, log on to SMUMustangs.com.