March 30, 2010

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Samford's Andrie Meiring was named the Southern Conference's Women's Tennis Player of the Week Tuesday after the Bulldogs' junior netter turned in a perfect record in both singles and doubles play last week. The honor, which was awarded by the SoCon league office, was Meiring's first of the season.

Meiring finished last week with an unblemished 4-0 record in singles and double competition as Samford (11-5, 3-1 SoCon) topped Furman (6-1) and Wofford (7-0) in SoCon play. The Bulldogs' victory over the Paladins snapped Furman's 100-match regular-season conference winning streak. Furman's streak dated back to March 27, 1998, exactly 12 years earlier, with a 5-4 victory versus UNC Greensboro.

A native of Stellenbosch, South Africa, Meiring went 2-0 in singles play last week. She topped Furman's Lauren Kline, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 2 singles match Saturday and then downed Wofford's Haley Baird, 6-4, 6-0, on Sunday.

Meiring teamed with Rebecca Kirven as the pair went 2-0 in doubles competition. Competing at the No. 2 doubles position, Meiring and Kirven downed Furman's Monica Arguello and Jennifer Betts, 9-7. After moving up to No. 1 doubles in the match against Wofford, Meiring and Kirven were victorious over Haley Baird and Guinn Garcia, 8-6.

The Bulldogs return to action Friday at 3 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin at two-match road swing against UNC Greensboro.

Other top performers in the SoCon last week included Davidson's Stephanie Synn, Elon's Elisa Simonetti, Furman's Monica Arguello, Georgia Southern's Ashley Hungerford and Chattanooga's Jenna Nurik.

2010 SoCon Women's Tennis Players of the Week

Feb. 16 - Anna Milian, Elon
Feb. 23 - Melanie Rolle, Georgia Southern
March 2 - Caroline Newman, College of Charleston
March 10 - Kinsey Casey, College of Charleston
March 16 - Kristi Kegerreis, Georgia Southern
March 23 - Monica Arguello, Furman
March 30 - Andrie Meiring, Samford