The Brenau tennis team kicked off the 2012 season this morning with an exhibition match and ultimately the defeat of the visiting Jaguars of Georgia Perimeter College. Although ranked #6 in the NAIA in the pre-season rating, the Golden Tigers knew they had a tough challenge ahead of them, as they faced GPC, ranked #4 in the pre-season rating for Junior Colleges (NJCAA).

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll Auburn Montgomery nabs No. 1 spot in women's tennis poll January 31, 2012 By Jake Knabel, NAIA Communications & Sports Information Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Defending national champion Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) narrowly held off last season's national runner-up Fresno Pacific (Calif.) for the top spot in the 2012 NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Lady Senators hoisted their seventh national title banner in the last eight years and 11th in school history by defeating Fresno Pacific, 5-3, in the championship match in Mobile, Ala., on May 21. Auburn Montgomery picked up six of the 10 first-place votes and earned 247 total points.

CONYERS, Ga - The Brenau University tennis team played in the Atlanta Classic at the Rockdale Tennis Center, this weekend.  The contesting teams were Brenau University, Georgia Perimeter College (GPC), and Georgia State University (GSU). 

The Golden Tigers got off to a great start in the singles only tournament. On Friday, opening day, Brenau finished with seven wins out of ten matches.  Brenau's No. 1 seed, Lyn See Choo (Kuching, Malaysia) dominated both of her opponents with scores of 6-0, 6-1 against GPC's Salma Dahbi, and 6-1, 6-0 against the No. 1 seed for GSU, Whitney Byrd. 

 

Maria Perdomo Medina (Canary Island, Spain) defeated No.2, Kir Kimp, from GSU 6-1, 7-5, but lost in a very close match to GPC's, Sadia Mayou,6-7 and 5-7.  Theresa Neumeyer (Germany) bested GPC's No. 3 seed, Idia Amen, 7-5, 6-1, but struggled and lost to, Abigail Tere-Apisah, from GSU, 0-6, 1-6. 

 

Hannah Thompson (England) lost to GSU's No. 4, Tereza Lerova, by scores of 1-6, 0-6, but then came roaring back against GPC's Asia Boud, with 6-0, 6-0 marks.  Eline Nagles (Antwerp, Belgium) and Stephanie Moniz (London, England) both took the No. 6 seed from GSU, Janeei Clark, by identical scores of 6-0, 6-0.

 

The Golden Tigers were ready to pounce on their opponents, as the second day of competition commenced. The tennis team continued their success, on Saturday, winning four out of the six matches.

Choo defeated GPC's No. 1, Salma Dahbi, 6-2, 6-2, and Maria Perdomo Medina defeated the No. 1 seed from Georgia State, Whitney Byrd, 6-1, 6-1. Neumeyr lost to Idia Amen, No. 3 from GPC, by 5-7, 0-6, while Thompson fell to GSU's No. 3, Abigail Tere-Apisah, 1-6, 0-6. Nagles went on to defeat Alex Broillette, from GSU, 6-0, 6-3 and Moniz proved victorious over the No. 6 seed from GSU, Janeei Clark, 6-0, 6-0.

Brenau's own Lyn See Choo, Eline Nagles and Stephanie Moniz were recognized at the closing of the Atlanta Classic. Each of them went undefeated for the entire tournament, with Choo awarded the winner of the first flight, Nagels the fifth, and Moniz the sixth flight. 

ATLANTA, Ga ­- The Golden Tigers competed in the 2011 USTA/ITA Regional Championships this weekend, at the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center. Brenau faced off against strong opponents, including SCAD Atlanta, Shorter University, Xavier University, and Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). 

 

With a team of 6 players, the Golden Tigers found themselves competing in seventeen matches on opening day. Nine victories were claimed, for the day, as three Brenau players advanced in the tournament.

Saturday morning, Stephanie Moniz (London, England) remained in the consolation bracket and won her first match of the day against Katie Witmer (Shorter), to enter the finals against Margot Vetter (Shorter).  The match was played in extremely windy conditions and Moniz finished as runner-up in that division, in a 4-8 pro set.

Senior, and number three seed, Lyn See Choo (Kuching, Malaysia) played her first match of the day and picked up her first win of the day, by knocking out the number six seeded player, Alina Tseplukhova (SCAD Atlanta), 6-4, 6-2.  Her second match was against the number two seed, Jade Curtis (AUM).  Choo played a wonderful match and bested Curtis in a tension-filled two sets by the score of 6-4, 6-4 to reach the Sunday finals competing against number one seed, Ana Veseliovic (AUM).

Choo partnered with teammate, Freshman Maria Perdomo Medina (Canary Island, Spain), for Brenau's final match of the day.  Choo and Medina, who were seeded second, were pitted against the number three seed in the doubles bracket, Plavsic and Tseplukhova (SCAD Atlanta).  The duo presented a well fought match with numerous lead changes, and hard and fast volleys being exchanged at the net.  Brenau won in an 8-5 pro set, to gain the finals against the number one seeded team, AUM. 

 

The Golden Tigers returned on Sunday, to support Choo and Median in the championship round of the tournament. Brenau competed in two hard-fought matches - Choo in the singles final, and Choo and Medina in the doubles final. 

Lyn See Choo lost in the championship round to Ana Veselinovic (AUM), NAIA National Women's Singles Champion for 2011.  The score was 6-0, 6-2 but was not indicative of the quality of the match played.  There were a number of long games with multiple deuces, and an impressive demonstration of athleticism. 

Choo and Medina met Ana Veselinovic and Jade Curtis, AUM's number two player, in the doubles championship. However, AUM proved victorious over Brenau, 5-2, 6-4.