DeKALB, Ill.- Despite taking half of the singles matches, the Western Illinois women's tennis team dropped a mid-week match to in-state rival Northern Illinois, 4-3.
"We knew going into this match that we were going to be playing a very tough Northern Illinois team," said Western Illinois assistant coach Mike Fenwick. "Despite the slow start in dropping the doubles point, the team fought their way back and put us in a position to win four out of the six singles matches. The outcome wasn't in our favor, but the team never gave up, which is commendable."
The Westerwinds (8-9) dropped all three doubles matches as the Huskies claimed the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore Kate Kennedy and junior Courtney Brooks nearly pulled out a win at No. 3 doubles, but dropped a tight match in a tiebreaker, 8-7 (5).
In singles action, junior Amanda Griffin leveled the match at one a piece after defeating the Huskies' Lilian Asuaje, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 1 singles. After the Western suffered a pair of losses, sophomore Kate Kennedy pulled the Western within 3-2 by beating Brooke Forsberg at No. 5, 6-3, 6-4.
Junior Stephanie Baumer dropped the first set to Martina Schnapp at No. 3 singles, but rebounded to win the final two sets and the match, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The Westerwinds host a set of matches this weekend, April 10-11, as Chicago State and North Dakota make the trip to Macomb for matches at the varsity courts next to Brophy Hall.
Northern Illinois 4, Western Illinois 3
Doubles:
1. Brooke Forsberg/Martina Schnapp (NIU) def. Amanda Griffin/Zi Wang
(WIU), 8-2
2. Lilian Asuaje/Emily Rogers (NIU) def. Stephanie Baumer/Yana Meinert
(WIU), 8-2
3. Kathryn Friedlund/Sara McGlaughlin (NIU) def. Kate Kennedy/Courtney
Brooks (WIU), 8-7 (7-5)
Singles:
1. Amanda Griffin (WIU) def. Lilian Asuaje (NIU), 6-3, 7-5
2. Kathryn Friedlund (NIU) def. Zi Wang (WIU), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
3. Stephanie Baumer (WIU) def. Martina Schnapp (NIU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Emily Rogers (NIU) def. Yana Meinert (WIU), 6-1, 6-1
5. Kate Kennedy (WIU) def. Brooke Forsberg (NIU), 6-3, 6-4
6. Sara McLaughlin (NIU) def. Courtney Brooks (WIU), 6-1, 6-1
