JOHNSON CITY, TN (April 20, 2007) --- On the opening day of the Appalachian Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Tennis Tournament, both the Milligan men’s and women’s tennis teams won their first-round contest. However, Milligan lost both semifinals match ups on Friday. The first round and semifinals were played Friday at the Liberty Bell Tennis Complex in Johnson City, Tenn.

The Milligan men’s squad, the No. 4 seed, eliminated No. 5 seed UVA-Wise with a 5-0 win to start their day. In the semifinal contest with No. 1 seed Union (Ky.) College, the Buffs were handed a 5-0 loss. On the women’s side, the Lady Buffs, also a No. 4 seed, defeated No. 5 seed Covenant (Ga.) College 5-1 in their morning match. Like the Buffs, the Lady Buffs also faced Union, the No. 1 seed, and were defeated 5-2 in a semifinal match.

In the Buffs’ first-round match with UVA-Wise, All-AAC team members Tom Jones (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Ryan Reynolds (Johnson City, Tenn.) won at No. 1 doubles. The senior duo won 8-2 over Henning Kuich and Derick Wood. In the No. 2 doubles match, Charles Williams (Perth, Australia) and Johnathon Ryan (Wangaratta, Australia) also won 8-2 against Chris Kostic and Robert Bareford. The final point on the doubles side came from Stuart Makinson (Franklin, N.C.) and Bryan Upshaw (Kingsport, Tenn.) with a victory against Daniel Robinson and Wes Sturgill 9-8.

On the singles side, Jones and Makinson won to clinch the first-round win for the Buffs. Jones won 6-3, 6-1 against Kostic and Makinson took a 6-1, 6-1 decision versus Robinson.

In their semifinal contest against Union, the Bulldogs swept all three doubles matches and then won two more points in singles competion to advance to the AAC Championship. The Bulldogs will battle Virginia Intermont after their 5-2 victory over Tennessee Wesleyan College in the other semifinal contest.

On the women’s side, Milligan used three points in doubles to take the lead over Covenant in their match. Melissa Grgat (Melbourne, Australia) and Krissi Denton (Bristol, Tenn.) won 8-0 in their No. 1 doubles match versus Rachel Meidema and Annika Stolhandske. Sara Hopson (Greeneville, Tenn.) and Janie Mullins (Greenville, Ala.) added an 8-1 win at No. 2  against Mallory Cowden and Laura Reisinger. Amber Campbell (Erwin, Tenn.) and Myra O’Dell (Kingsport, Tenn.) completed the sweep after they defeated Ashley Key and Catie Ramage 8-2.

Milligan’s points on the singles side came from No. 1 and No. 2. Grgat, No. 1, won 6-1, 6-3 and Denton added a 6-1, 6-0 victory. Covenant’s lone point came when Hopson retired in her No. 4 match.

In the semifinal bout with Union, Grgat and Denton handed Paola Gammara and Katie Sakalauskas an 8-2 defeat in No. 1 doubles, but Union took the other two points.

Grgat won the lone singles point for the Lady Buffs when Gammara retired. Union added three points from No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles matches. Camila Cunha won at No. 2 while Yeris Vargas and Sakalauskas won No. 3 and No. 4 respectively.

On the women’s side, Union will face UVA-Wise for the tournament championship on Saturday. UVA-Wise, the No. 2 seed, beat Virginia Intermont College 6-1 in the first round and won 5-4 over Tennessee Wesleyan in their semifinal match.

Both championships are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Liberty Bell Tennis Complex.

(4) Milligan	(5) UVA-Wise	Winner	Score
Singles
No. 3
Jones	Kostic	MC	6-1, 6-3
No. 4
Makinson	Bareford	MC	6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Tom Jones/ Ryan Reynolds	Henning Kuich / Derick Wood	MC	8-2
Johnathon Ryan / Charles Williams	Robert Bareford / Chris Kostick	MC	8-2
Stuart Makinson / Bryan Upshaw	Wes Sturgill / Daniel Robinson	MC	9-8 (4)

(4) Milligan	(1) Union	Winner	Score
Singles
No. 3
Tom Jones	Ivan Mardones	UC	6-2, 6-4
No. 5
Bryan Upshaw	David Arubla	UC	6-0, 6-2
Doubles
Ryan Reynolds / Tom Jones	Anthony Hill / Ivan Mardones	UC	8-1
Johnathaon Ryan / Charles Williams	Pablo Costa / Juan Lorenzo	UC	8-6
Travis Fields / Bryan Upshaw	Roscoe Moonieyam / Nelson Escobar	UC	8-1

(4) Milligan	(1) Union	Winner	Score
Singles
No. 1
Grgat	Gammara	MC	Ret.
No. 2
Denton	Cunha	UC	6-2, 6-2
No. 3
Campbell	Vargas	UC	6-1, 6-0
No. 4
Mullins	Sakalauskas	UC	6-0, 6-0
Doubles
Melissa Grgat / Krissi Denton	Paola Gammara / Katie Sakalauskas	MC	8-2
Janie Mullins / Mandy Caston	Yeris Vargas / Camila Cunha	UC	8-0
Amber Campbell / Myra O’Dell	Estefania Cirigliano / Andressa Coelho	UC	8-4

(4) Milligan	(5) Covenant	Winner	Score
Singles
No. 1
Grgat	Meidema	MC	6-1, 6-3
No. 2
Denton	Stolhandske	MC	6-1, 6-0
No. 4
Hopson	Mallory Cowden	CC	Ret.
Doubles
Melissa Grgat / Krissi Denton	Paola Gammara / Katie Sakalauskas	MC	8-2
Janie Mullins / Mandy Caston	Yeris Vargas / Camila Cunha	UC	8-0
Amber Campbell / Myra O’Dell	Estefania Cirigliano / Andressa Coelho	UC	8-4

AAC Men’s Tennis Tournament

First Round

(3) Tennessee Wesleyan College 5
(6) King (Tenn.) College 0

(4) Milligan (Tenn.) College 5
(5) UVA-Wise 0

Semifinals

(1) Union (Ky.) College 5
(4) Milligan 0

(2) Virginia Intermont College 5
(3) Tennessee Wesleyan 2

Championship
Union vs. Virginia Intermont
Saturday 9 AM

AAC Women’s Tennis Tournament

First Round

(2) UVA-Wise 6
(7) Virginia Intermont 2

(3) Tennessee Wesleyan 5
(6) King 0

(4) Milligan 5
(5) Covenant (Ga.) College 0

Semifinals

(1) Union 5
(4) Milligan 0

(2) UVA-Wise 5
(3) Tennessee Wesleyan 4

Championship
Union vs. UVA-Wise
Saturday 9 AM