DENTON, Texas --- No. 37 Florida International blanked No. 47 University of South Alabama 4-0 Sunday in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Tennis Championships.

The loss eliminates the third-seeded Jaguars (14-4) from the tournament and ends the team’s 11-match winning streak. The No. 2 seed Panthers (17-5) advance to the finals and will play top-seeded Denver later today.

FIU earned the doubles point with a hard-fought win at No. 1. The Panthers’ Mariana Muci and Maria Pazo defeated the Jags’ team of seniors Michaela Babicova (Piestany, Slovakia) and Sylvanie Spangenberg (Pretoria, South Africa) 9-7. The loss was the first for the USA duo since the fall, a span of 14 matches.

South Alabama had not lost the doubles point since the last time the Jags were defeated, Feb. 15 against Mississippi State.

Florida International picked up wins at Nos. 1, 3 and 5 singles ? all in straight sets ? to pick up the victory. No. 67 Liset Brito defeated sophomore Erica Krisan (Marietta, Ga.) 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 and No. 86 Muci downed sophomore Katie Welch (Mobile, Ala.) 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3 to clinch the win.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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Tennis Match Results
University of South Alabama vs Florida International
Apr 19, 2009 at Denton, Texas

#37 Florida International 4, #47 University of South Alabama 0

 Singles competition
1. #67 Brito, Liset (FIU) def. Erica Krisan (USAW) 6-3, 6-2
2. Spenceley, Maria (FIU) vs. Michaela Babicova (USAW) 0-6, 4-5, unfinished
3. #86 Muci, Mariana (FIU) def. Katie Welch (USAW) 6-2, 6-3
4. Pazo, Maria (FIU) vs. Sylvanie Spangenberg (USAW) 7-6, 1-4, unfinished
5. Castillo, Priscilla (FIU) def. Parija Maloo (USAW) 6-0, 6-1
6. Vallasciani, Maria (FIU) vs. Alina Volman (USAW) 6-4, 4-1, unfinished

 Doubles competition
1. Muci, Mariana/Pazo, Maria (FIU) def. Michaela Babicova/Sylvanie Spangenberg (USAW) 9-7
2. Brito, Liset/Vallasciani, Maria (FIU) def. Erica Krisan/Katie Welch (USAW) 8-5
3. Spenceley, Maria/Castillo, Priscilla (FIU) vs. Parija Maloo/Alina Volman (USAW) 7-7, unfinished

Match Notes:
University of South Alabama 14-4; National ranking #47
Florida International 17-5; National ranking #37
Sun Belt Conference Tournament Semifinals
Order of finish: Doubles: 2, 1, (3 uf) ... Singles: 5, 1, 3, (2, 4, 6 uf)
T-3:40