WACO, Texas – Gaining the program's first-ever win over a nationally ranked team the East Texas Baptist University women's tennis team knocked off #23 the University of La Verne (Calif.), 7-2, on Saturday morning. This is the third win this year over a regionally ranked program and first vs. a top-25 team. The neutral-site match was played at the Waco Regional Tennis Center.

ETBU improves to 4-0 this season, while La Verne goes to 2-3. Entering the match, La Verne was ranked No. 23 nationally and No. 5 in the West Region, both according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's rankings for NCAA Division III.

To open the action, ETBU moved ahead, 2-1, after claiming two-of-three doubles matches. Kate Bramlett and Kayla Casey edged Bridget Etchegaray and Savanah Goode, 8-6, in the top-seeded flight. Competing in the No. 3 flight, Jabree McClaine and Sierra Pizarro prevailed by an 8-6 score against Savannah Fisher and Areli Martinez. La Verne took the #2 doubles match, 8-2, as Tiffany Stankiewicz and Elizabeth Morton fell to Shenelle Trujillo and Janae Chin.

Later on in the singles matches, ETBU won five-of-six flights to account for the 7-2 final score. Casey defeated Etchegaray, 6-0, 6-4, in the top-seeded match, while Bramlett was a 6-1, 6-4, winner in the No. 3 flight against Janae Chinn. In the fourth-seeded match, McClaine bested Shenelle Trujillo, 6-2, 6-4, and Kellie Cawthon prevailed 6-4, 7-5, over Martinez in the No. 5 flight. Mullika Seekhieo rallied to win her six-seeded match against Fisher, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Stankiewicz went three sets at the No. 2 match but fell, 7-6, 1-6, 10-6.

ETBU plays its next match on Feb. 20, hosting the University of Texas Dallas, 2 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Tennis Complex.

East Texas Baptist 7, #23 University of La Verne 2
Feb. 13, 2016 at Waco, TX (Waco Regional Tennis Center)