KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Western Illinois Women's Tennis team wrapped up its first Summit League action of the weekend in a five-team cluster this weekend on the campus of UMKC.
The Fighting Leathernecks (1-15, 0-4) dropped a 4-0 decision to Oral Roberts in their first match on Thursday before suffering losses to UMKC and Oakland on Saturday.
Western wrapped up its weekend with a 7-0 loss to Southern Utah. The Leathernecks will return to action when they play host to Roosevelt University at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 10.
March 31: Oral Roberts 4, Western Illinois 0
Oral Roberts did not drop a set as the Golden Eagles were able to down the Leathernecks in the first match of the weekend by a 4-0 decision.
The Golden Eagles won three of the five singles matches that were played and won by default in the No. 6 singles match. No doubles matches were played as Oral Roberts clinched the match in singles play.
Marcela Brandao was defeated in straight sets (6-2, 6-0) at the No. 1 position while Amy Unzicker fell at the No. 3 spot (6-1, 6-1). Melissa Kaufmann dropped her match at the No. 5 position (6-0, 6-1).
Jill Furlong and Claire Griffin did not finish their matches at the No. 2 and No. 4 positions, respectively. Furlong trailed 6-0, 3-3 while Griffin was behind 6-3, 5-1 before the matches were called.
April 1: UMKC 7, Western Illinois 0
Western Illinois was shut out for the third match in a row and second of the weekend as UMKC was able to come away with a 7-0 victory on its home court.
"UMKC won today because they were more talented," said head coach Chris Kane. "We put up a good fight, but everything would have had to go perfectly in the close matches for us to pull off the victory. That's difficult to accomplish, but we did strike the ball well against UMKC."
Brandao was able to take her first set at No. 1 singles before falling in three sets (3-6, 6-2, 10-1) while Furlong dropped her match at No. 2 (6-0, 6-1).
Unzicker played well in her first set at No. 3 before losing in two sets (7-6 (1-0), 6-2). Griffin also showed promise in her first set before falling (7-5, 6-2) at the No. 4 spot.
Kaufmann lost in straight sets at No. 5 singles (6-0, 6-0) and UMKC won the No. 6 singles match by default.
In doubles play, Western's No. 1 team of Brandao/Furlong lost 8-6 while the No. 2 team of Griffin/Unzicker fell 8-3. UMKC took the No. 3 doubles match by default.
"UMKC is a very good team," said Kane. "But we had chances to win a number of matches."
April 1: Oakland 4, Western Illinois 3
In what was the closest match of the weekend, Western Illinois battled before eventually falling to Oakland by a score of 4-3.
"We had some good efforts against Oakland," said Kane. "Our No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams of Brandao/Furlong and Unzicker/Griffin won easily after slow starts to give us the doubles point.
" In singles, Jill was convincing in taking the No. 2 singles match and Claire was seemingly out of her match being down 6-1, 4-1, before rallying to win. It was a shame we did not have a healthy player in the final deciding match at No. 1 singles, as I think it would have been a great battle with a healthy Marcela."
The Leathernecks picked up the team point with two wins in doubles play. Brandao/Furlong were victorious at No. 1 doubles (8-3) while Griffin/Unzicker picked up a win at No. 2 (8-4).
In singles play, Brandao was downed in three sets (5-7, 6-2, 6-0) at No. 1 while Jill Furlong won at No. 2 (6-2, 6-3).
Unzicker fell at the No. 3 spot (7-5, 6-0) while Griffin was victorious in a three-set battle at No. 5 (1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4).
Kaufmann dropped her match in straight sets at the No. 5 spot (6-0, 6-0) and Oakland was able to clinch the win at No. 6 singles by default.
"This was a particularly hard-fought match," said Kane. "Both teams were of similar abilities and the match came down to the No. 1 singles match where Marcela split the first two sets with her opponent before trying to win the third and deciding set on one healthy leg. Her left leg injury prevented her from moving much in the third set, and that was that."
April 2: Southern Utah 7, Western Illinois 0
Southern Utah used a dominating effort to send Western Illinois to a 7-0 loss in the fourth and final match of the weekend on Saturday.
"Southern Utah has a very talented team," said Kane. "They are one of the best teams in The Summit League."
The Thunderbirds did not drop a set as they pulled off shutouts in three singles matches and staved off the Leathernecks in two hard-fought doubles matches.
Brandao trailed in her match at No. 1 singles (6-1, 6-3) before retiring with due to her injury. Furlong fell in straight sets (6-1, 6-0) at No. 2 while Unzicker was downed at No. 3 singles (6-0, 6-0).
Griffin also fell in straight sets at No. 4 (6-0, 6-0) and Kaufmann was defeated by the same score in the No. 5 spot.
"In singles, Southern Utah was dominant," said Kane. "They had great groundstrokes, their forehands and backhands were penetrating and accurate. We tried a lot of different strategies such as charging the net, hitting drop shots, and employing underspin on our groundstrokes but their talent prevailed."
In doubles play, both of the top two teams for the Leathernecks fell by scores of 8-6. Southern Utah picked up two victories by default at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles.
