MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois women's tennis lost 7-0 to Summit League women's tennis regular season champion Denver on Sunday (April 23). The Leathernecks finish their 2017 campaign 9-14 overall and 3-3 in Summit League play, while the Pioneers improve to 16-6 overall and a perfect 6-0 in league play for the fourth consecutive season.
Western Illinois finished in a three-way tie for third place with Oral Roberts and IUPUI but lost the tiebreaker (based on collective record between the tied group). The Leathernecks lost both matches to IUPUI and Oral Roberts this season.
"At the beginning of the season we set the goal of finishing in the top half of the league and we have accomplished it," head coach Mirko Bjelica said. "The girls have fought really hard to earn those wins. It's been a very exciting season for us."
The Pioneers got off to a roaring start when Julia O'Loughlin and Maureen Slattery blanked the pair of Courtney Lubbers and Jenna Wallace 6-0. At the No. 2 doubles position Bianca Mok and Morgan Barnhill upended the duo of Natalia Bravo and Laura Ballesteros 6-1 to secure the doubles point. Nicole Jones played in her final match as a Leatherneck and almost helped Anna Daniel Fuentes beat Gracia Mboko and Sonja Radosevic of Denver but the Pioneer duo held on 4-3.
Denver continued to role in the singles matches and won every match in two sets. O'Loughlin got things started by defeating Lubbers 6-1, 6-0. Bravo came in playing extremely well but lost to Slattery 6-3, 6-0.
At the No. 3 position, Daniel Fuentes stayed competitive but bowed out 6-2, 6-2. Arisha Ladhani was brought in at the No. 4 spot and defeated Ballesteros 6-0, 6-3. Radosevic and Claire Koke won the final two matches to complete the 7-0 Pioneer victory.
The 2016-17 season is complete for Western Illinois women's tennis but the Leathernecks recorded their best conference record since 2010.
Match Results:
No. 1 doubles- Julia O'Loughlin/Maureen Slattery (Denver) def. Courtney Lubbers/Jenna Wallace (WIU) 6-0
No. 2 doubles- Bianca Mok/Morgan Barnhill (Denver) def. Natalia Bravo/Laura Ballesteros (WIU) 6-1
No. 3 doubles- Gracia Mboko/Sonja Radosevic (Denver) def. Anna Daniel Fuentes/Nicole Jones (WIU) 4-3
No. 1 singles- O'Loughlin (Denver) def. Lubbers (WIU) 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 singles- Slattery (Denver) def. Bravo (WIU 6-3, 6-0
No. 3 singles- Mok (Denver) def. Daniel Fuentes (WIU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 singles- Arisha Ladhani (Denver) def. Ballesteros (WIU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 singles- Radosevic (Denver) def. Wallace (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 6 singles- Claire Koke (Denver) def. Cary Milanes (WIU) 6-1, 7-6
