NEW ORLEANS --- The University of South Alabama women’s tennis team lost seven games total to Western Kentucky to advance 4-2 to the first round of the 2010 Sun Belt Championships Thursday morning.

The 12th-seeded Jaguars (2-12) move on to face No. 5 seed Louisiana at Monroe this afternoon at 3 p.m.

USA claimed the doubles point in quick fashion, dominating WKU by a combined score of 16-1. Sophomores Katie Welch (Mobile, Ala.) and Marie Boura (Paris, France) won 8-1 at No. 1 and sophomore Chané Hines (Johannesburg, South Africa) and freshman Jess Courtnell (Newcastle, England) blanked the Hilltoppers’ pair at No. 2, 8-0.

After two forfeit wins for Western Kentucky at the bottom of the order made the score 2-1, Courtnell picked up her first career singles win 6-1, 6-1 over Katie DiTommaso at No. 4. Welch followed with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 and Hines clinched the match 6-0, 6-2 over Carrie True at No. 3.

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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