Oklahoma's Perianu Advances To Semi-Finals At The ITA National Indoors

University of Oklahoma senior Anda Perianu (Braila, Romania) advanced to the semi-finals Friday in the 2003 ITA National Women's Tennis Indoor Tournament at the Michigan Varsity Tennis Center, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Perianu's victories place her as the first OU women's tennis player to reach the semi-finals of this event.

Perianu began the day in fine form by claiming a straight-set victory over Stanford's Lauren Barnikow, 6-2, 6-4. Perianu then went on to defeat Karin Coetzee of Wake Forest in a tough three-setter. Perianu dropped the first set 7-5, but then came back to dominate the next two sets, 6-0, 6-2.

Perianu, the 2003 Big 12 Player of the Year, now faces seventh-seeded Amanda Johnson of Duke in the semi-final and is scheduled to play Saturday, Nov. 8 at 10.30 a.m. EST. Perianu has had an impressive fall season and owns a fall record of 10-1. She's the first Sooner woman to compete in this event since 1985 and first to reach the second round since Allison Ingram in 1984. The ITA National Indoor Championships are the second of three national tournaments for collegiate tennis during the 2003-04 season.

Perianu qualified for the event after winning the ITA Central Regional Championships in late October. The Romanian is considered by several to be the best tennis player to play for the Sooners. She is currently the only OU women's tennis player to have ever participated in back-to-back NCAA Individual Championships and is a two-time All-Big 12 singles selection.

The tournament can be followed on the ITA web site at www.itatennis.com and for results on Perianu visit www.soonersports.com.

Round of 16

Anda Perianu (Oklahoma) def. Lauren Barnikow (Stanford), 6-2, 6-4

Quarter-finals

Anda Perianu (Oklahoma) def. Karin Coetzee (Wake Forest), 5-7, 6-0, 6-2