Women's Tennis Drops Summit League Heartbreaker to Omaha

Leathernecks battle Mavs to the wire in 4-3 loss Saturday (March 14) afternoon

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women's tennis team battled Omaha in Summit League action Saturday (March 14) afternoon at the WIU Tennis Facility. The dual match, the first outdoor contest of the season for the Purple and Gold, went to the wire as the Mavs outlasted an undermanned Leatherneck squad, 4-3. Western falls to 1-12 (0-3 Summit League) on the season while UNO improves to 4-8 (2-2).

Competing with just five players, the Leathernecks were forced to open play by forfeiting the No. 3 doubles match. Needing to sweep the matches at No. 1 and No. 2 in order to secure the doubles point, Western came up short in a pair of closely contested matches.

Courtney Lubbers and Jenna Wallace teamed up at the top spot as they took on the duo of Baude and Stafford from Omaha. In a match that went to the wire, the Leathernecks' top doubles team fell by an 8-6 final. The other doubles match featured Arianna Demos and Nicole Jones squaring off against the Mavs' team of Hill and Matricardi. In a back-and-forth affair, it was Hill and Matricardi who came out on top, 8-5, over Demos and Jones.

In singles action, the Leathernecks quickly fell behind 2-0 in the team score after Western forfeited the No. 6 singles match. Trailing by two points, Western claimed three of the next four matches to even the team score at 3-all. Lubbers, representing the Leathernecks at the No. 1 spot, picked up a straight-sets victory over Omaha's top individual, 7-5, 6-3. Demos kept the momentum going with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at the No. 3 spot over Kenzie Hill of UNO. Nicole Jones notched Western's third victory in as many matches when she collected a 6-3, 6-4 decision at No. 4 singles. Andriana Johnson battled at No. 5 singles, ultimately falling by a 6-2, 6-3 decision. With the dual on the line, Jenna Wallace battled Molly Matricardi at the No. 2 position. Wallace and Matricardi went to the wire, with Matricardi clinching securing a 6-4, 6-4 victory to send Omaha home with a victory.

Western Illinois hits the road for its second-consecutive Summit League contest, as they take on Oral Roberts in Kansas City. First serve is slated for 12 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Andriana Johnson: Sophomore

Nicole Jones: Sophomore

Jenna Wallace: Sophomore

Courtney Lubbers: Freshman

Arianna Demos: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Andriana Johnson
: Sophomore

Nicole Jones
: Sophomore

Jenna Wallace
: Sophomore

Courtney Lubbers
: Freshman

Arianna Demos
: Freshman