Friday, August 7, 2009

Arkansas Teams Capture Southern Sectional Championships

The 2.5 Women's Team- Owenby/Fayetteville, the 4.0 Men's Team- Archer/ Little Rock, and the 3.5 Senior Women's Team- Hunter & Holmes/ Little Rock captured the 2009 USTA Southern League Championships and advanced to the USTA National League Championships which is considered by some to be the largest Adult Recreational Tennis Leagues in the world.

The Arkansas 2.5 Women's Team captained by Lacey Owenby - Fayetteville defeated the Alabama/Birmingham-Taylor Team 2-1. AR/Fayetteville-Owenby won at #1 Singles with Mariko Paschall defeating Jana Crim 6-0 6-0 . At #1 Doubles AR/Fayetteville-Owenby also won with Allison Ellison/Lacey Owenby defeating Susan C McDowell /Rosemary Weed 7-6 6-1. AL/BHAM-Taylor scored their only point by winning at #2 Doubles with Bethanne Taylor /Heidi Johnston defeating Beth Armstrong /Beth McEver 4-6 6-1 1-0.
Team members include Lacey Owenby, Tiffani Yates, Allison Ellison, Christine Daugherty, Beth Armstrong, Jacqueline Shearman, Mariko Paschall, and Beth McEver.

The Arkansas 4.0 Adult Men's Team captained by Marty Archer of Benton defeated the Kentucky Team captained by Jason Goff 3-2. At #1 Singles AR/Little Rock-Archer won with Kevin C. Luneau defeating Thomas C. Smithson 1-6 6-3 1-0. At #2 Singles KY/ASH-Goff won with Paul Stacy defeating Jimmy Sawyer 7-5 1-4 . At #1 Doubles AR/Little Rock-Archer was the winner with Brent Herring /Chris R. Dussourd defeating Ryan Walker /John May 6-2 6-3. KY/ASH-Goff won at #2 Doubles with Wilson C. Smith /Fred L. Cooper falling to Jason Goff/ Eddie Harris 7-5 6-1. At #3 Doubles AR/Little Rock-Archer won with Jeff R. Darling /Paul Chamoun defeating Del M. Beard /Bryan K. Mabe 6-3 3-6 1-0 .
Team members include Jeff Darling, Marty Archer, Paul Chamoun, Chris Dussourd, Phil Langley, Wilson Smith, Matt Foster, Alan Terry, Micah Fannin, Kevin Luneau, Jimmy Sawyer, Brent Herring, Kurt Lehigh, Mitchell Perry, and Fred Cooper.

The Arkansas 3.5 Senior Women's Team captained by Shirley Hunter/Teri Holmes of Little Rock defeated the Louisana Team 2-1. At #1 Doubles AR/LittleRock-Hunter/Holmes was the winner with Terri S. Holmes/ Pricilla P. Backus defeating Marie Duncan/Laura Koch 6-4 6-7 1-0 . At #2 Doubles AR/LittleRock-Hunter/Holmes won with Maureen Dickson /Tricia L. Buchman defeating Cindy Hines/Jan Ahlemeyer 2-6 6-1 1-0 . LA/New Orleans-Harper scored their only point at #3 Doubles with Sheri H. Levine /Gisela O'Brien defeating Shirley K. Hunter /Melanie M. Riley 6-2 4-6 1-0.
Team members includeTeri Holmes, Priscilla Backus, Tricia Buchman, Maureen Dickson, Melanie Riley, Shirley Hunter, Debbie Bennett, Kathy Campbell and Betty Brinkley Harrison.

These teams travel to Indian Wells, CA and Las Vegas, NV for the USTA National League Championships.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Arkansas has produced some tough teams recently. Other Arkansas teams came very close to winning at sectionals, too. The Senior 4.5 team captained by Mel Collazo came within a couple of points to winning their division.

Anonymous said...

What a way for the 4.0 Doubles legend Brent Herring to end his 4.0 career.

Anonymous said...

Evidently, Herring was not able to carry Mark Rees in dbls last year at sectionals. Herring must have found a better dbls partner this year. That is the only reason for his successful run at sectionals this year!

Anonymous said...

Apparently AR is doing better at sectionals than what AR tennis nay-sayers have previously said. We are a small group compared to other states and with that in mind looks like we represented well. Way to go AR tennis!

Anonymous said...

Priscilla Backus a 3.5 player my a**! Maureen, aka AR league coordinator and ringer recruiter at it again! Last year she reeled in another ringer who was quickly shot to 4.5 upon the revelation she played D1 tennis. Hey, do what you have to do to win. No sectional winners w/o a ringer. Kudos to the winners (recruiters and ringers included)! Good luck at nationals!

Anonymous said...

Congrats to Herring and the gang. Herring has always dominated the 4.0 men's doubles scene!

Anonymous said...

Maureen should be fired. She send Taylor Condrey directly to Danny Robinson's 4.0 team when he moves into town without giving him a list of other 4.0 teams. A ATA official SHOULD NOT be a recruiter for her preferred team. I say give her the boot!

Anonymous said...

I second the motion. Maureen has been a member of LRAC for eons and will always play favorites to a LRAC team. She captains out of there herself even.
A state league coordinator should not have the attitude she does, play favorites or pull strings. She should be impartial and give a new player options in a case like Taylors. I will not further into all the other unprofessional actions in so many cases with Maureen as well as most others at the ATA. Summed up, pathetic and unprofessional. Not to mention is so embarrassing for the state as well.