Lubbers, Demos, Wallace Secure Victories as Leathernecks Fall in Saturday Double Dual

Western Illinois fell to Creighton and Valparaiso on Saturday (March 21)

WIU 1, Creighton 6
WIU 2, Valparaiso 5

MACOMB, ILL. - The Western Illinois women's tennis team hosted Creighton and Valparaiso in nonconference action Saturday, March 21, at the WIU Tennis Facility. Western opened the day with a 7-0 loss to the Bluejays of Creighton before taking on the Crusaders in a closely contested match, with Valparaiso taking the dual by a 5-2 final. Western falls to 1-17 (0-4) on the season with the pair of dual defeats.

Creighton stormed out of the gate and quickly swept the doubles point. After forfeiting the No. 3 spot, Courtney Lubbers and Jenna Wallace teamed up at the No. 1 spot, and fell by a 6-1 final. The other doubles match saw Arianna Demos and Nicole Jones drop a 6-0 decision at No. 2.

Singles action started the way of Western, as the Leathernecks quickly picked up a point at the No. 3 position. Wallace jumped ahead and claimed her match in straight sets, 6-3. 6-1. Western's momentum was short-lived, as the Bluejays claimed the remaining matches. Lubbers battled at the top spot, and took the first set in thrilling fashion against Jennie Hartjes. Knotted at 6-all in the opening set, the two would go to a tiebreaker, with Lubbers prevailing, 7-4. Lubbers was unable to maintain the momentum, as she dropped the next set, 6-3, and a third-set tiebreaker, 10-4.

Elsewhere, Demos dropped her match at No. 2, 6-2, 6-3, while Jones fell, 6-4, 6-4, at No. 4. Andriana Johnson (6-1, 6-1) was unsuccessful in her match at No. 5, and the Leathernecks were forced to forego their match at No. 6 singles due to only having five players active to compete.

The Purple and Gold came out fired up for their second match of the day against Valparaiso. A forfeit at No. 3 doubles meant that Western would need to claim victories at the top two spots to secure the doubles point. Lubbers and Wallace did just that at the No. 1 position, defeating the duo of Hamel/Hebble by a 6-3 decision. In the No. 2 doubles match to determine the doubles point, Demos and Jones battled, but could not come away with a victory as they fell, 6-4.

Lubbers carried her doubles success into singles action, and Demos joined in on the success, as each posted victories at the top two singles spot. At No. 1 singles, Lubbers made quick work of Valparaiso's Kaitlyn Hamel, claiming a straight sets victory, 6-4, 6-0. Demos, who recently moved up to the No. 2 spot in singles play, won a thrilling first set against Kathleen Hebble. The two would battle to a tiebreaker, with Demos securing the first set with a 7-4 tiebreaker victory. Demos had an easier time claiming the second and final set, as she won by a 6-3 margin.

Jones looked to make it three-straight singles victories for the Leathernecks as she took the first set of her No. 4 singles match, 6-4. After dropping the second set, 6-0, Jones looked to seal the match with a third set victory, but was unable to do so as she fell, 6-1.

Wallace (6-3, 6-2) and Johnson (6-2, 6-1) dropped their respective matches at No. 3 and No. 5 singles, and the Crusaders picked up a forfeit victory at No. 6 to round out the action.

The Leathernecks cap a stretch of four home matches in two days on Sunday (March 22), as the team plays host to Quincy and Monmouth. Western's match against Quincy is set for a 10 a.m. start while the Leathernecks will round out play with a 1 p.m. first serve against Monmouth. Both matches will take place outside at the WIU Tennis Facility.

Print Friendly Version

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