Western Courier

Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Sports

Sophomore Yana Meinart picked up singles victories against IUPUI and Southern Utah over the weekend.

The Western Illinois women's tennis team wrapped up the Summit League's first conference cluster with a 3-1 record, losing Saturday's second match to Southern Utah.

After defeating UMKC 4-0 Thursday, the Westerwinds (4-7) continued their strong play Friday with another 4-0 victory over IUPUI.

"Historically, IUPUI has been one of the top women's programs in the conference, so this win definitely feels good," said coach Michael Hunt. "They are a little down this year after their coaching change, but they'll be back soon."

Western started the match by taking the doubles point from the Jaguars. Sophomores Yana Meinert and Ashley Clark won their fifth doubles match in a row, defeating IUPUI's Andrea Burkhardt and Emily Holsapple, 8-5, at No. 2 doubles.

Sophomores Stephanie Baumer and Courtney Brooks won the decisive doubles match by a narrow margin, 9-7, over Dana Gardner and Lisa Gebhard at No. 3 doubles.

In singles play, the Westerwinds received wins from freshman Kate Kennedy at No. 4 (6-2, 6-0), Meinert at No. 5 (6-1, 6-1) and Baumer at No. 6 (6-0, 6-0) to seal the match at a score of 4-0.

Western recorded yet another 4-0 victory against Centenary in the first match of a Saturday doubleheader. The Westerwinds swept all three doubles matches, including Clark and Meinert's sixth straight doubles win.

In singles, sophomore Amanda Griffin defeated Centenary's Courtney Myers at the No. 1 singles position, 6-1, 6-0. Western also recorded wins at No. 2 and No. 5 singles from Clark and Baumer respectively, neither giving up a game in the process.

The lone loss from the weekend came at the hands of Southern Utah, 4-2, in Saturday's second match. Griffin and Kennedy teamed together at No. 2 doubles to defeat the Thunderbirds' Martha Kruk and Emmi Nelson-Bulloch, 8-5, but it wasn't enough as Southern Utah won at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to steal the doubles point from Western.

Griffin recorded her second win of the day at No. 1 singles, downing Kirrily Burden, 6-1, 7-6 (5). Meinert also recorded a singles win against the Thunderbirds at No. 6 singles, beating Kristi Latteier, 7-6 (5), 6-2. However, those would be the only two matches the Westerwinds would win. Southern Utah won three singles matches to seal the conference victory.

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