By: Illinois College defeated Knox at No. 1 doubles and Nos. 1 and 2 singles, but fell to the Prairie Fire by a score of 6-3.
GALESBURG, Ill. – The Illinois College women's tennis team lost the 2016 season opener on the road at Knox College on Tuesday night despite having the best two players on the courts. Sophomore
Kathryn Ryan and freshman
Sally Kate Hixson combined to score three points for the Lady Blues, but the Prairie Fire won the other six matches and prevailed by a score of 6-3.
In doubles action, Ryan and Hixson staked Illinois College to an early point with an 8-1 victory at No. 1 over Savannah Sailors and Maddie Schacht from the Prairie Fire. The Rochelle, Ill. team of
Jovanna Chavez and
Lisa Noggle fell at No. 2 however, as did
Lena Reed and
Madelyn Deardorff at No. 3.
In singles, Ryan cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 over Emily Miller for another IC point. Hixson followed with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Schacht. Despite those three points from their top two players, the Lady Blues fell short. Knox clinched the win by taking points at Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6. Noggle supplied the best fight in those three matches, falling narrowly in a third-set tiebreak at No. 5 singles 3-6, 6-2, 10-12 to Clare Colt.
Illinois College will travel to Blackburn College on Sept. 8 in a non-conference match before welcoming in St. Norbert College, Lawrence University and Ripon College to the Bellatti Tennis Complex this weekend for a trio of Midwest Conference matches.
