MACOMB, Ill. – The WIU tennis team came out victorious at home, etching out the win with an overall score of 4-3. The SIUE Cougars were coming into the match as the number one team in the OVC with a record of 12-3. The Cougars were also the preseason favorites and defending OVC tournament champions.

The Leathernecks dropped two in doubles play and left the third unfinished. At the No. 1 the pair of Nour Gueblaoui and Richardlyne Francois played a tough match but suffered a 1-6 loss. The team of  Chloé Routier and Mana Fawcett faced a tough team at the No. 2 but ultimately suffered a 2-6 loss. Paige Grice and Lara Souza looked promising but did not finish their match leaving the score at 5-4 giving SIUE the opening point. 

In singles play, Francois played at No.1 putting her opponent to work before suffering an injury and pushing through it. Francois ultimately suffered a loss with a score of 1-6, 6-1, and 2-6. At No. 2, Routier showed her dominance winning both sets 6-4. Grice finished her match first coming out victorious in 2 sets scoring 6-2 and 6-4 at No. 3. At No. 6, Gueblaoui had a 2 set , coming out on top in both with a score of 7-6 (7-1), 6-3. 

Souza had a huge match at No. 4, taking her opponent to 3 sets. Dropping the first set 2-6, Souza bounced back and won the next two with a score of 6-2, 6-3 to clinch the winning point for WIU. Fawcett played at No. 5 going to war against her opponent, dropping the first set 4-6 and winning the second 6-2, ultimately suffering a heartbreaking loss in the third set. 

WIU Tennis travels to Charleston Saturday April 5 to face the Eastern Illinois Panthers. 

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