MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's tennis team competed in the first day of the 2017 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Tennis Championship (presented by Culver's) at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
With day one complete and the first round of singles play finished, all six Blugolds advance to the second round. The three seed in the No. 1 singles draw Natalie Wijesinghe (Apple Valley, MN) defeated Thisius (UW-Stout)6-2, 6-1 in her first round match. Wijesinghe advances to the second round of singles play and will face the two seed Talyansky (UW-Whitewater) tomorrow. Senior Sarah Henderson (Prior Lake, MN) was dominant in her first round match, winning 6-1, 6-0 over Kreibich (UW-Stout). Henderson will face McGuire (UW-Whitewater) in the second round. Molly Stewart (Amery, WI) entered the tournament as the two seed at No. 3 singles. With a 6-0, 6-0 win over Haglund (UW-River Falls), Stewart advances and will face the number three seed Spahn (UW-La Crosse). Kendra Berry (Duluth, MN) was victorious in the No. 4 singles draw. Berry defeated Welke (UW-Stout) 6-0, 6-0 and will face the two seed Koppa (UW-Oshkosh) tomorrow in the second round. Emily Cooper (White Bear, Minn.) continues her outstanding first season for the Blugolds with a first round win in the No. 5 singles tournament. Cooper, the two seed, will take on Bublitz (UW-La Crosse) in the second round. Hannah Zevenbergen (Baldwin, WI/ Baldwin-Woodville) was the sixth Blugod to compete and advance in the first round of the singles tournament. Zevenbergen will face Garves (UW-La Crosse) in the second round at No. 6 singles tomorrow.
The first two rounds of doubles play was completed on day one of the tournament. In the No. 1 doubles draw, Henderson/Wijesinghe were victorious in the four/five matchup over Thisius/Kreibich (UW-Stout). The pair were defeated by the number one seed in the second round 9-8 (4). Henderson/Wijesinghe will compete for third place tomorrow against Sagen/Peters (UW-Oshkosh). Stewart/Cooper entered the No.2 doubles tournament as the three seed, the duo defeated Deering/Andress (UW-River Falls) 8-3 in the first round. Stewart/Cooper dropped their second round match to the two seed from UW-Whitewater, and will play for third place match tomorrow. Molly Sanvik (Winona, Minn.) and doubles partner Zevenbergen were dominate in their first round match as the two seed at No. 3 doubles. The pair defeated the seven seed from UW-River Falls 8-0 in the first round, they fell in the second round to Andersen/Bonine (UW-La Crosse). Sanvik and Zevenbergen will face Kelch/Kleist (UW-Stout) in the third place match tomorrow.
The Blugold women will look for continued sucess tomorrow in the second and third rounds of singles play and will look to win the third place match at each of the doubles draws. The second and third round of singles play will start tomorrow at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium at 9am and will be followed by the final round of doubles.