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Rec teams capture national titles at Advanta WTT Nationals

November 1, 2009

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Recreational tennis teams from California, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, New York and Texas captured national championship titles at 2009 Advanta WTT Rec League National Finals, which concluded Sunday afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif. Fifty recreational tennis teams from 20 states competed for national championship titles in 11 divisions during the three-day tournament. It was the first WTT Nationals title for 10 of the 11 championship teams.

The co-ed teams advanced to the national finals by qualifying from their respective division in six Advanta WTT Rec League national qualifying tournaments held throughout the year. Corporate League teams qualified by winning their local league. The weekend kicked off for the tournament participants with a Wilson clinic hosted by tennis legend and WTT co-founder Billie Jean King.

All matches were played using the WTT format, a fun, fast-paced co-ed team format that encourages equal contributions from both genders. A team has a minimum of four players, two men and two women. The WTT format uses five or six no-ad sets: men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s singles and one or two sets of mixed doubles.

For more information on World TeamTennis or the WTT Recreational League, visit WTT.com or call 866-PLAY-WTT. Results are online at wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=1638

RESULTS FROM THE 2009 Advanta WTT Rec League Nationals:

3.0 DIVISION: The Ball Busters of San Diego, Calif., upended the top-seeded Court Assassins of Columbus, Ga., 29-28 in the Finals to win their first national title. The Court Assassins were heavy favorites in the Finals after posting a 3-0 record in round robin qualifying and routing Thomson Reuters Rockets of Minneapolis, Minn., 36-13 in the semifinals. The Ball Busters, who were only 1-2 in qualifying, surprised Wintry Mix of Cary, N.C., 28-19 in the semifinals to set up the final showdown.

Members of Ball Busters are Joel Gapud (captain), Chula Vista, Calif.; Mikell Morissette, San Diego, Calif.; Ricky Enriquez, San Diego, Calif.; Ellen O’Neill, San Diego, Calif.; Francisco Torres, Lemon Grove, Calif.; Luz Mercer, Bonita, Calif.; Mike Gallo, Bonita, Calif.; May Hazelwood, Chula Vista, Calif.; and Tony Louey, Spring Valley, Calif.

3.5 DIVISION: The Muffin Tops of Lees Summit, Mo., edged Cardinal Racquet Club of Anderson, S.C., 28-25, to win the 3.5 Division. Heading into the final match on Sunday, both teams were tied with 4-0 round robin records. With the narrow victory, Muffin Tops earned their first National Championship title.

Members of the Muffin Tops are Rob Hurtado (captain), Lees Summit, Mo.; Marcia Espinosa, Lees Summit, Mo.; Mitch Bennett, Overland Park, Kan.; Robyn Kleweno, Overland Park, Kan.; and Niorn Nicholas, Overland Park, Kan.

4.0 DIVISION: Bring It of Schenectady, N.Y., brought it to win the 4.0 Division and their first national title. Bring It was undefeated with a 5-0 round robin record. Short Skirts, Long Racquets of Virginia Beach, Va., finished second with a 4-1 record.

Members of Bring It are Bill Brahler (captain), Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Shelley Brahler, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Dave Brown, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and Lisa Scott, Schenectady, N.Y..

4.5 DIVISION: Peninsula Tennis Club of San Diego, Calif., rolled through the 4.5 Division with a perfect 6-0 mark in round robin action. Peninsula Tennis Club sealed the win with a 31-26 victory over runner-up Who’s Bringing the Beer? in the final match of the day.

Members of Peninsula Tennis Club are Monica Sweet (captain), Robert Simmons, Darice Carnaje, Valerie Sah, Melinda Ainslie Murray, James Murray, Jeff Ray, and Christine Anzai, all of San Diego, Calif.

SENIOR 3.5 DIVISION: West Texas Sandstorm of Lubbock, Texas, blew through the Senior 3.5 Division field with a 4-0 round robin record. West Texas Sandstorm handed runnerup Baypoint Beach Club of San Diego, Calif., their only loss in the first round of the tournament, 30-22.

West Texas Sandstorm team members are Carey White (captain), Brownfield, Texas; Jimmy Hammons, Brownfield, Texas; Dell Knight, Tokio, Texas; and Kaye Kuss, Larry Hertel, Yvette Peel, Cathy Ivy, and Marianna Grimes-Chapman, all of Lubbock, Texas.

SENIOR 4.0 DIVISION: It took a tiebreaker for the Mason Dixons of Potomac, Md., to win the Senior 4.0 Division title. The Mason Dixons and the Fab 50s of Encino, Calif., tied with 4-1 round robin records, but the Mason Dixons captured the title based on their 29-19 head to head win over the Fab 50s.

Team members of The Mason Dixons are Connie Moynihan (co-captain), Potomac, Md.; Ivan Teelucksingh, Bethesda, Md.; Terri Wallendjack, Kensington, Md.; Roger Bristol (co-captain), North Bethesda, Md.; Soon-Wan Ooi, Gaithersburg, Md.; Vicky Parra, Germantown, Md.; Brendan Mattingly, Rockville, Md.; Marc Witowski, Bethesda, Md.; and Karyn Dolan, Rockville, Md.

SUPER SENIOR (60+) 3.5 DIVISION: Love Players of Miami, Fla., won the Super Senior 3.5 Division with 3-1 round robin record. Team members are Pete Roscia (captain), Miami, Fla.; Bob Sucar, Miami, Fla.; Rob Hopson, Miami, Fla.; Susan Culligan, Miami Beach, Fla.; Laverne Taylor, Hialeah, Fla.; and Barbara Finley, Doral, Fla.

SUPER SENIOR (60+) 4.0 DIVISION: Just Do It of Encino, Calif., won the Super Senior 4.0 Division with 4-0 round robin record. Team members are Cora Davis (non-playing captain); Gordon Davis, Encino, Calif.; Dave Holt, Bell Cayon, Calif.; Mike Gardner, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Pat Holt, Bell Cayon, Calif.; Gayle Hensley, West Hills, Calif.; Peggy Gouger, Carpinteria, Calif.; and Myrna Craig, West Lake Village, Calif.

CORPORATE 3.5 DIVISION: US Gas & Electric of Miami, Fla. won the Corporate 3.5 Division with 4-0 round robin record. The Boston Scientific Spindevils of Minneapolis, Minn., finished second with 3-1 round robin record. US Gas & Electric team members are Rafael Castro (captain), Miramar, Fla.; David Antos, Margate, Fla.; and Patrick Speights, Michel Laguerre, Siriporn Burke, and Wing Cheng, all of Miami, Fla.

CORPORATE 4.0 DIVISION: It came down to a tense Supertiebreaker before Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MSSB) of Miami, Fla., locked up the Corporate 4.0 Division title. MSSB and Bernay Corp. of St. Louis faced off on Sunday afternoon with identical 4-0 round robin records. MSSB rallied for a 29-28 Supertiebreaker win over Berney Corp. to win their first national title. MSSB team members are Andi Steinacker (captain), Rob Hopson, Millie Armas, Santiago Gomez, and Siriporn Burke, all of Miami, Fla.; and Marcelo Borrelli, Coral Gables, Fla.

CORPORATE 4.5 DIVISION: The battle for the Corporate 4.5 Division championship was settled under the lights on Saturday evening as the Medtronic Shokr’s of Minneapolis, Minn., defended their 2008 national title with a 32-23 victory over SportsExplorer of Pasadena, Calif.

Medtronic Shokr’s team members are Wenmei Qi (captain), Maple Grove, Minn.; John Collingwood, Champlin, Minn.; Josh Bliss, Lino Lake, Minn.; and Andrea Schmaelzle, Minneapolis, Minn