Sports briefs

Vlaski advances to Sweet sixteen of men's tennis nationals play; Halin falls in 2nd round

Of the pair of Huskies who traveled to Athens, Ga., for the NCAA men's singles tournament this week, one player has survived to the Sweet Sixteen round of competition. Tenth-ranked Alex Vlaski downed No. 24 Marcin Matkowski of UCLA in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, in yesterday's second round.

UW senior Matt Hanlin, who holds the school record for career wins with a 179-82 mark in singles and doubles play combined, ended his collegiate tenure when he fell to fourth-ranked Bo Hodge from Georgia, 6-0, 6-4.

Vlaski's victory avenges a previous defeat to Matkowski at the Pac-10 finals earlier in the year. The UW sophomore will face tournament top-seed Bobby Reynolds from Vanderbilt on the court in Friday's third round. These are not unfamiliar rivals: Vlaski topped Reynolds (6-2, 6-3) at October's All-American Championships.

Hanlin, ranked 28th in the nation, leaves the program tied with Chet Crile for the UW career lead in singles victories with 108. Hanlin also earned individual all-America honors in 2001.

-- Allison Peryea

Morgan improves from 104th to 78th after round 3 of NCAA women's golf championship

For the first time this week -- after two rounds on rain-soaked greens -- the competitors at the NCAA women's golf tournament recorded sub-par scores yesterday. With the brutal weather of the first two days receding in West Lafayette, Ind., the third-round scores showed a drastic improvement from the previous 36 holes.

The Huskies' Lindsay Morgan shot a 1-over 73 in the third round. She began the day in a tie for 104th position after struggling during round two; however, yesterday's performance boosted her position to 78th. After three rounds, the UW junior has tallied a 54-hole total of 239.

Florida's Andrea Vander Lende took advantage of the drier playing conditions, carding a tournament-best 3-under 69. She finished the day in a tie for first with USC's Mikaela Parmlid, who has a three-day total of 4-over. Oklahoma State's Annie Thurman, who began the day in the lead, dropped back to third spot, one stroke behind the front-runners.

The Trojans retained the team lead after finishing the day with a competition-leading 293. USC now holds a seven-stroke advantage over second-place Pepperdine.

Morgan, who finished 88th at last year's NCAA championship, will seek to better that effort during today's final round beginning at 8 a.m. The weather forecast looks promising at Purdue University's home course, with a slight breeze predicted throughout the day.

-- Mike Baker