KOHLER – Milwaukee School of Engineering repeatedly won close matches and tiebreakers in defeating the Lakeland University women's tennis team 9-0 Friday afternoon in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference dual at Sports Core.

The Raiders won a pair of third sets and claimed a third match that included a tiebreaker plus a second set where seven games were needed to win. MSOE gained a big win in a battle for conference position, though, improving to 4-4 in the NACC (5-9 overall) while Lakeland saw its NACC Tournament hopes take a hit in dropping to 4-5 in conference and 5-7 overall.

The Muskies were achingly close in a number of singles matches. Both Ann Schroeder (Sr.-Lake Mills, Wis.)
and Abby Juozapaitis (So.-North Prairie, Wis.) played three sets, but Schroeder was defeated by Hannah Marron 6-4, 4-6, 10-3 at No. 2 singles and Juozapaitis lost to Leah Becker 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 at No. 5 singles.

Emma Schad (Sr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) also nearly got up a set on Cierra Smith at No. 4 singles, but Smith won a first-set tiebreaker and then a long set for a 7-6 (7-2), 7-5 win. MSOE also added another close win at No. 1 singles as Sammy Soeder edged Ellie Roe (So.-Plymouth, Wis.) 6-4, 6-3.

The Raiders also won all three doubles matches. Lakeland's best showing came from Schroeder and Jessica Leicht (Fr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) at No. 3 doubles, as they were defeated 8-4 by Kim Baffin and Cali Bonie.

The Muskies close out their regular season Saturday when they host Concordia University Wisconsin at 10 a.m. at Sports Core.