KANSAS CITY, Mo.- Senior Kim Lennartsson and sophomore Kate Kennedy both went undefeated on the day as the Western Illinois women's tennis team started Summit League play by defeating IUPUI, 7-0, and UMKC, 4-3, in its first league cluster of the season at the Plaza Tennis Center.

"We couldn't have started the conference any better than we did today," stated Western Illinois head coach Michael Hunt. "It was really important for us to beat UMKC, especially, for a chance to qualify for the conference tournament and I'm happy we took care of business in that match. It was important, too, because we won when we didn't play our best match."

The Westerwinds (7-7, 2-0) started the day by sweeping the Jaguars, 7-0. Senior Zi Wang and junior Amanda Griffin picked up a win at No. 1 doubles, defeating IUPUI's top team of Vanessa Carna and Karlee Rush, 8-4. At No. 2 doubles, juniors Stephanie Baumer and Yana Meinert clinched the doubles point by beating Sondra Caputo and Kristi Henderson, 8-1.

In singles play, Western won three matches without giving up a game. Wang (No. 2), Baumer (No. 4) and Meinert (No. 5) all defeated their respected opponents, 6-0, 6-0.

Other singles winners were Griffin at No. 1, 6-1, 6-2, and Lennartsson at No. 3, 6-1-, 6-1.

Against the Kangaroos, the Westerwinds dropped the doubles point after only picking up one doubles win at the No. 3 position. Lennartsson and Kennedy teamed together to defeat UMKC's Katherine Rist and Jessica Ball, 8-4.

Western responded from dropping the doubles point to pick up four wins in singles play to clinch the league win. Lennartsson won her second singles match of the day defeating Emily Lindsay, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 2. Meinert and Kennedy picked up wins at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively to square the match.

"I was really pleased with Kim's play today," said Hunt. "That's the most focused and in-control I've seen her since her sophomore season when she was second team all-conference. She beat an all-conference player today in Lindsay. It was also nice that Kate and Yana are getting on a roll, too. Would like to see them keep that going the rest of this weekend."

With the match tied at 3-3, the outcome depended on the No. 1 singles match. Griffin pulled out the third set to clinch the match, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, and the win for Western.

Western Illinois 7, IUPUI 0
April 3, 2009 ? Kansas City, Mo.

Singles Results
No. 1 ? Amanda Griffin (WIU) def. Vanessa Carna (IUPUI), 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 ? Zi Wang (WIU) def. Karlee Rush (IUPUI), 6-0, 6-0
No. 3 ? Kim Lennartsson (WIU) def. Sondra Caputo (IUPUI), 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 ? Stephanie Baumer (WIU) def. Kristi Henderson (IUPUI), 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 ? Yana Meinert (WIU) def. Ashley Haskett (IUPUI), 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 ? Kate Kennedy (WIU) won by default.

Doubles Results
No. 1 ? Griffin/Wang (WIU) def. Carna/Rush (IUPUI), 8-4
No. 2 ? Baumer/Brooks (WIU) def. Caputo/Henderson (IUPUI), 8-1
No. 3 ? Kennedy/Lennartsson (WIU) won by default.

Western Illinois 4, UMKC 3
April 3, 2009 ? Kansas City, Mo. (Plaza Tennis Center)

Singles Results
No. 1 ? Amanda Griffin (WIU) def. Daniela Amelunge (UMKC), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
No. 2 ? Kim Lennartsson (WIU) def. Emily Lindsay (UMKC), 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 ? Katherine Rist (UMKC) def. Zi Wang (WIU), 7-5, 6-3
No. 4 ? Chelsea Horner (UMKC) def. Stephanie Baumer (WIU), 6-3, 6-1
No. 5 ? Yana Meinert (WIU) def. Jessica Ball (UMKC), 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 ? Kate Kennedy (WIU) def. Jillian Yakominich (UMKC), 6-2, 7-5

Doubles Results
No. 1 ? Lindsay/Horner (UMKC) def. Griffin/Wang (WIU), 8-6
No. 2 ? Yakominich/Amelunge (UMKC) def. Baumer/Brooks (WIU), 8-2
No. 3 ? Kennedy/Lennartsson (WIU) def. Rist/Ball (UMKC), 8-4