MEQUON – The Lakeland College women's tennis team conquered one of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference powers and picked up its biggest win yet of a breakthrough season, defeating Concordia University Wisconsin 5-4 Wednesday afternoon.
The Muskies defeated the Falcons for the first time since the formation of the NACC in 2006 and the first time overall since 2003, when both teams were members of the Lake Michigan Conference. Concordia perennially finishes at or near the top of the NACC standings, including confernece championships in 2006, 2007 and 2011.
Lakeland also moved closer to clinching a spot in the NACC Tournament for the first time, improving to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in conference. The Muskies and Falcons (8-2 overall, 8-2 NACC) are now both tied in the conference standings in the loss column, with Lakeland facing three more matches and Concordia one more.
The Muskies' strength at the top of their lineup showed through again.
Victoria Powelson (
So.-Ishpeming, Mich.) at No. 1 singles and
Lynn Pipke (
So.-Greenfield, Wis.) at No. 2 singles again led the way, with Powelson defeating Jessica Sapp 6-1, 6-2, and Pipke over Emily McCormick 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).
Powelson and Pipke also scored a huge win at No. 1 doubles, coming back from down 7-4 and facing four match points. The duo saved all four match points and eventually went on to defeat Concordia's Kristine Weber and Ashley Knoll 9-8, including 7-3 in a tiebreaker.
The Muskies also got a win from
Brittany Jurek (
Sr.-Gladstone, Mich.) at No. 5 singles. Jurek defeated Knoll 6-4, 6-4, improving to 8-0 this season in singles play.
The two teams split singles matches 3-3, but Lakeland picked up a deciding win at No. 2 singles as
Erica Hoffmann (
Sr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) and
Maggie Liston (
Fr.-Lemont, Ill.) easily defeated McCormick and Amanda Ropiak 8-2. The win helped make up for Hoffmann's tough loss in her No. 3 singles match, where she was defeated by Kristine Weber 3-6, 7-5, 10-8.
The Muskies will face Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Sports Core in Kohler. The team will celebrate Senior Day for its three seniors. Lakeland also will be home on Sunday to host Concordia University Chicago at noon.
