MENOMONIE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire women's tennis team earned its first conference victory of the season tonight with an 8-1 routing of rival UW-Stout.
On the way to the win, the Blugolds dropped only the No. 1 singles match. Impressively, Gretchen Bachmeier (So.-Eau Claire, Wis./North) didn't give up a game all day as she shut out her opponent in No. 4 singles as well as No. 3 doubles with teammate Mary Frassetto (Fr.-Oshkosh, Wis./West).
In singles action, Emily Hiebl (Jr.-Wausau, Wis./East) captured her No. 5 match 6-1, 6-0 while Lexi DeMario (Fr.-Verona, Wis./Verona Area) won from the No. 6 spot 6-1, 6-1. Another Blugold faced a tougher match. Taylor Heltne (So.-Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) dropped her first set 4-6, but recovered to win the next sets 6-3, 6-1. Katie Gillman (Fr.-Red Wing, Minn.) also picked up a win in the No. 3 match 6-1, 6-3.
All three Blugold duos beat their Blue Devil opponents in doubles play. The No. 1 pair of Megan Born (Jr.-Antigo, Wis.) and Hiebl won 8-5 while the No. 2 team of Gillman and Heltne extinguished their competition 8-2.
The Blugolds are now 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in the WIAC. Eau Claire will next hit the courts Saturday, Sept. 25 to play matches against St. Norbert College and UW-Green Bay. The first match will begin at 10:30 a.m.
