WIU Women's Tennis Collects First Summit League Win Of The Season

The Leathernecks edge the South Dakota Coyotes 4-3 in a back and forth match.

VERMILLION, S.D. - Western Illinois women's tennis won a tough back-and-forth road match over South Dakota 4-3 for its first Summit League victory of the year. It marked the Leathernecks first Summit League victory since 2011, snapping a 36-match conference losing streak.

"What a total team effort this win was," head coach Mirko Bjelica said. "We were able to defeat the number two rated team in our conference by everyone on our team contributing mightily. We were so close to winning our match with IUPUI on Friday and the girls did not get derailed but regrouped and fought so hard today. This is a big boost for our team and we are approaching the rest of our conference matches with a renewed confidence."

Jenna Wallace and Courtney Lubbers shutout Nanette Nylund and Anastasia Bondarenko of South Dakota 6-0 in the first doubles match. The pair of Natalia Bravo and Laura Ballesteros cruised in their match 6-2 to secure the Leatherneck doubles win, which later proved to be critical. Barbora Kollarova and Yuliya Sidenko avoided a double sweep by defeating the Western duo of Nicole Jones and Cary Milanes 6-3.

After Ellie Burns defeated Lubbers in the No. 1 singles match, Bravo picked the team up with a gutsy three set win against Sidenko.

Kollarova swept Anna Daniel Fuentes 6-0, 6-0 to even things up for South Dakota. Ballesteros responded for the Leathernecks by finishing off Bondarenko 6-0, 7-6 in the No. 4 singles match.

Jenna Wallace hung tough but ultimately bowed out in three sets versus Nylund. In the No. 6 singles match, Milanes topped South Dakota's Maria Pandya 6-4, 6-3 after falling behind 4-1 in the first set. The Leathernecks earned a hard fought road victory 4-3 over the Coyotes.

The Leathernecks look to keep the momentum for their next match at noon on Friday, April 2 at home in Macomb against Omaha.

Match Results:

DOUBLES
No. 1 - Jenna Wallace/Courtney Lubbers (WIU) def. Nanette Nylund/Anastasia Bondarenko (USD) 6-0
No. 2 - Natalia Bravo/Laura Ballesteros (WIU) def. Hannah Wich /Ellie Burns (USD) 6-2
No. 3 - Barbora Kollarova/Yuliya Sidenko (USD) def. Nicole Jones/Cary Milanes (WIU) 6-3

SINGLES
No. 1 - Ellie Burns (USD) def. Courtney Lubbers (WIU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 - Natalia Bravo (WIU) def. Yuliya Sidenko (USD) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
No. 3 - Barbora Kollarova (USD) def. Anna Daniel Fuentes (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 - Laura Ballesteros (WIU) def. Anastasia Bondarenko (USD) 6-0, 7-6
No. 5 - Nanette Nylund (USD) def. Jenna Wallace (WIU) 7-6, 4-6, 7-5
No. 6 - Cary Milanes (WIU) def. Maria Pandya (USD) 6-4, 6-3

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Players Mentioned

Nicole Jones: Senior

Courtney Lubbers: Junior

Jenna Wallace: Senior

Natalia Bravo: 5' 6"; Freshman; Colegio Bilingue Buckingham

Anna Daniel Fuentes: Freshman; La Salle Tarragona

Cary Milanes: Junior; Miami Palmetto

Laura Ballesteros: Freshman; Castellar Del Valles

Players Mentioned

Nicole Jones
: Senior

Courtney Lubbers
: Junior

Jenna Wallace
: Senior

Natalia Bravo
: 5' 6"; Freshman; Colegio Bilingue Buckingham

Anna Daniel Fuentes
: Freshman; La Salle Tarragona

Cary Milanes
: Junior; Miami Palmetto

Laura Ballesteros
: Freshman; Castellar Del Valles