By: Despite playing shorthanded on Thursday, the Lady Blues nabbed wins at Nos. 1 and 5 singles.
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's tennis team didn't win its season opener on Thursday night at the Bellatti Tennis Complex, but the way that the team battled showed that this group could be the start of a big turnaround. Despite being down a player and forfeiting two points to Millikin University, the Lady Blues kept fighting and were competitive in nearly every match. Wins from
Kathryn Ryan and
Brianna Pohlman in singles supplied the points for IC in a 7-2 loss to the Big Blue.
With only five players able to suit up on the night, Illinois College was forced to forfeit one doubles and one singles match. Millikin added to its lead with an 8-0 win at the No. 2 doubles match. At No. 1, Ryan and
Tamar Norville had come back from a 6-3 deficit to lead 7-6, but the Big Blue rallied to earn a 9-7 win and take a 4-0 lead in the match going into singles.
Illinois College would have needed to sweep all five matches in singles to get the victory and that wasn't in the cards. Millikin won three straight-set matches at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 to take a 7-0 lead. Though the result was decided, Ryan showed her determination to come from behind and win a three-set match at No. 1 singles against Taylor Stanchin. Down a set after a 6-3 defeat in the first, Ryan broke Stanchin's serve late in the second to win 7-5 and then took command in the third-set tiebreaker to win 10-7. At No. 5, Pohlman dominated the first set against Madeline Delano, winning 6-2. After dropping a second-set tiebreaker to her Millikin opposition, 7-6(5), Pohlmann impressed in the third-set tiebreaker, winning 10-4.
The Lady Blues will look to even their record on the year on Saturday morning, facing Blackburn College at the Bellatti Tennis Complex at 10 a.m.
