AURORA, Ill. – Lakeland University won four of six singles matches and it was the difference as the Muskies edged Aurora University 5-4 in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference women's tennis dual Saturday afternoon.
The Muskies took a step towards their second consecutive NACC Tournament berth, winning for the fourth time in conference and improving to 5-5 overall (4-3 NACC). Lakeland is fifth in the conference with big matches coming up against Wisconsin Lutheran and MSOE teams competing for the final two spots in the six-team tournament.
Lakeland's four singles wins all came in straight sets.
Ellie Roe (
So.-Plymouth, Wis.) picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win over Mackenzie Smith at No. 1 singles, and
Calley Wesemann (
So.-Watertown, Wis.) topped Sarah Love 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 singles.
Emma Schad (
Sr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) also finished with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Sami Hultine at No. 4 singles, and
Abby Juozapaitis (
So.-North Prairie, Wis.) blanked Alexis Marcy 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles. Lakeland's other two singles players also contributed with a win in doubles, as
Ann Schroeder (
Sr.-Lake Mills, Wis.) and
Jessica Leicht (
Fr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) posted an important 8-2 win over Hultine and Marcy.
The win came after the Muskies were defeated by Illinois Institute of Technology 9-0 earlier in the morning. The Scarlet Hawks won five matches at love in improving to 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the NACC.
Lakeland's best showing came from Wesemann at No. 3 singles, as she nearly won the first set before eventually falling 7-5, 6-0 to Kaitlyn Graves. Juozapaitis and Schad had the Muskies' best doubles showing in an 8-3 loss to Kylie Hance and Alison McKenny.
Lakeland next will travel to face Wisconsin Lutheran on Monday at the Princeton Club in New Berlin, to make up a dual originally scheduled for last month but postponed due to rain.
Results IIT 9 Lakeland 0
Results Lakeland 5 Aurora 4
