April 20, 2001

Softball stays over .500; Augustana tourney next

The University's softball team remained two games above .500 despite dropping two of three games over the April 13 weekend. Sophomore pitcher Liz Smith tossed a gem in Game 1 of a road doubleheader April 13 against Maryville University, but the hosts managed two unearned runs to steal a 2-0 victory. But Smith responded with a complete-game shutout in the nightcap, stretching her season record to 11-6 with the 6-0 win. Freshman center fielder Jen Hiller went 3-for-4 with two runs. A 6-1 loss Monday to perennial NAIA power Missouri Baptist College moved the Bears to 17-15 on the season. They will hit the diamond today and Saturday in the Augustana (Ill.) College Tournament.

Women's tennis 11-3 after Midwest invite

WU women's tennis sandwiched heartbreaking 5-4 losses around a 6-1 victory Friday and Saturday at the Midwest Invitational in Madison, Wis. The weekend began with a 5-4 loss Friday to Luther College. Jenny Stein started the match off right for WU by winning at No. 1 singles, but then the Bears dropped second, third and fifth singles, putting them in a hole they couldn't overcome. Shilpa Reddy and Jen Kivitz won at No. 3 doubles, 8-5. The Bears bounced back by sweeping all six singles matchups on the way to a 6-1 thrashing of St. Thomas (Minn.) University. Senior captain Nandina Chaturvedula was impressive at No. 2 singles, handily defeating her opponent, 6-0, 6-2. The Bears dropped just their third match of the season Saturday, falling to Kenyon (Ohio) College, 5-4. The Bears split the singles portion of the match, as Steph Cook, Jen Kivitz and Laura Greenburg all won. But WU dropped two of three doubles matches to take the loss. Now 11-3, the Bears will head to the University of Rochester (N.Y.) for today and Saturday's University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships.

Track & field primes for UAA Championships

The Bears track and field team prepared for today and Saturday's UAA Championships at the University of Chicago by competing at the Cougar Classic Open, hosted by Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Team scoring was not kept, but several Bears turned in fine individual performances. On the women's side, freshman Emily Lahowetz won the 1,500 meters (4:50.96), and senior Susan Chou flew to a 10:21.9 in the 3,000 meters to win by more than 20 seconds. Valerie Lasko took second in the 200-meter dash (26.32 seconds) and third in the 100 meters (12.79). For the men, freshman Darius Viet won his first event of the season with a UAA and WU team season-best time of 9:47.17 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Brett Pond finished second in the pole vault, leaping 12-foot-6, and fourth in the javelin at 162-foot-3.

Compiled by Keith Jenkins, director, sports information. For up-to-date news about Washington University's athletics program, access the Bears' Web site at bearsports.wustl.edu.