MACOMB, Ill.- The Western Illinois women's tennis team moved its record closer to .500 with a 7-0 win over McKendree and a narrow 4-3 victory against Chicago State at Brophy Courts.

"This Chicago State team is so improved from past years," stated Western Illinois head coach Michael Hunt. "They've really done a good job of getting some top-of-the-lineup kids in there and they are a really good team. They beat Bradley and lost 4-3 to some really good teams like Northern Iowa, Cleveland State, and IPFW. I'm really very pleased with our players for sticking with things, even with the number of tight 4-3 matches we've had this year."

The Westerwinds (8-9) began the day with a 7-0 sweep of McKendree (2-4). Western won two out of three doubles matches to take the doubles point from the Bearcats. Sophomores Yana Meinert (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Joliet Township) and Ashley Clark (Waseca, Minn./Waseca/UW-Milwaukee) improved their record to 10-6 on the Spring season with a 8-5 win over Erin Thoman and Sara Johnson at No. 2 doubles. Sophomores Courtney Brooks (Aurora, Ill./West) and Stephanie Baumer (Troy, Ill/Triad) recorded the other doubles victory, 8-5, at No. 3 doubles over Kelly Beiermann and Lauren Szahielo.

The Westerwinds took all six singles matches, dropping only one set in the process. Winning for the Western was sophomore Amanda Griffin (Granite Bay, Calif./Granite Bay/Fresno State) at No. 1 singles, Kim Lennartsson (Kungsbacka, Sweden/Katrine Lund Gymnasium/Southern Mississippi) at No. 2 singles, Clark at No. 3 singles, freshman Kate Kennedy (Pekin, Ill./Community) at No. 4 singles, Meinert at No. 5 singles, and Brooks at No. 6 singles.

The nightcap for Western was a tougher match, defeating Chicago State by a score of 4-3. The Westerwinds recorded a crucial doubles point by winning at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. The No. 2 doubles team of Griffin and Kennedy defeated Yosefin Rustandar and Peggy More, 8-6. Brooks and Baumer won at No. 3 doubles, 8-0, over Ameena Payne and Nia Randall.

Kennedy and Meinert got Western off to a good start in singles play with win at No. 5 and No.6 singles respectively. Kennedy defeated Payne, 6-0, 6-2, while Meinert beat Randall, 6-0, 6-1.

With the match squared at 3-3, the last match on was the No. 4 singles match. Clark had to fight back from down a break in the third set and defeated Moore, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, to clinch the match for the Westerwinds.

"This was a hard-fought win and I'm really proud of the team for hanging in and doing what had to be done," said Hunt. "Ashley could have given up down a set and 4-1, but she hung in there and pulled off a great comeback. She was down a break and 4-2 in the third set, too, but just kept battling and giving herself a chance to win."

Western will head to Romeoville, Ill., for a match against SIU-Edwardsville, Saturday, April 12, and host Lewis, Sunday, April 13.

Western Illinois 7, McKendree 0
Singles
1. Amanda Griffin (WIU) def. Maria Occhipinti 6-1, 6-1
2. Kim Lennartsson (WIU) def. Jenny Mennerick 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (5)
3. Ashley Clark (WIU) def. Sara Johnson 6-2, 6-4
4. Kate Kennedy (WIU) def. Erin Thoman 6-2, 6-4
5. Yana Meinert (WIU) def. Kelly Beiermann 6-4, 6-4
6. Courtney Brooks (WIU) def. Lauren Szahielo 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Occhipinti/Mennerick (McK) def. Lennartsson/Zi Wang 8-4
2. Meinert/Clark (WIU) def. Thoman/Johnson 8-5
3. Brooks/Stephanie Baumer (WIU) def. Beiermann/Szahielo 8-5

Western Illinois 4, Chicago State 3
Singles
1. Dian Mayasari (CSU) def. Amanda Griffin 6-3, 6-1
2. Golda Rubina (CSU) def. Kim Lennartsson 6-3, 6-3
3. Yosefin Rustandar (CSU) def. Zi Wang 6-0, 6-4
4. Ashley Clark (WIU) def. Peggy Moore 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
5. Kate Kennedy (WIU) def. Ameena Payne 6-0, 6-2
6. Yana Meinert (WIU) def. Nia Randall 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
1. Mayasari/Rubina (CSU) def. Lennartsson/Wang 8-4
2. Griffin/Kennedy (WIU) def. Rustandar/Moore 8-6
3. Brooks/Baumer (WIU) def. Payne/Randall 8-0