Lakeland College

Muskies split pair of NAC duels in start to women's tennis season

Athletics - posted on 9/1/2012

KOHLER - The Lakeland College women's tennis team began its 2012 season with a dominant win, sweeping Rockford (Ill.) College in its season opener and a Northern Athletics Conference match Saturday.

The Muskies finished the day with a split of two matches, losing to Edgewood College 8-1 later in the afternoon in another NAC duel.

Lakeland was led on the day by Brittany Jurek (Jr.-Gladstone, Mich.). Jurek won both of her matches at No. 5 singles, including a 6-3, 6-3 win over Rhea Bradley of Edgewood for the Muskies' only win against one of last year's NAC regular season tri-champions. She also joined junior Erica Hoffmann (Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) in an 8-0 win over Rockford's Alexis Ford and Marah Erbe at No. 2 doubles in the opening match.

Hoffmann also came close to sweeping both of her matches at No. 4 singles, sweeping Erbe of Rockford 6-0, 6-0, and then losing a tough tiebreaker in a 6-1, 3-6, 12-10 loss to Kristen Boone of Edgewood.

Lynn Pipke (Fr.-Greenfield, Wis.) made a solid debut at No. 2 singles as well, defeating Rockford's Carla Ramirez 6-0, 6-0 in her opener before losing to Ellie Wilke of Edgewood 6-3, 6-2. Pipke and April Schmitz (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) also defeated Jessica Sagalla and Carla Ramirez of Rockford at No. 1 singles by an 8-3 score before losing to Amber Cook and Anna Miles 8-4 in their second match of the day.

Schmitz led the Muskies at No. 1 singles, defeating Sagalla 6-1, 6-0 in the opener before losing to Edgewood's Morgan Wilson 6-0, 6-1. Also getting wins for Lakeland were Jenna Oberthaler (Jr.-Iron Mountain, Mich.) at No. 3 singles (6-2, 6-3 over Rockford's Ford) and Alissa Stephani (So.-Appleton, Wis.) at No. 6 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Lyla Cao of Rockford.

The Muskies' final win against Rockford came at No. 3 singles, where Oberthaler teamed with Samantha Tonn (Fr.-Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) to defeat Cao and Shannon Hoover 8-0. Oberthaler and Tonn also were competitive against Edgewood's Kristen Boone and Ashli Paulson, falling 8-3.

Lakeland returns to action Wednesday when it faces Wisconsin Lutheran College at 4 p.m. in Milwaukee. The Warriors are another of last year's NAC regular season champions and this year were voted favorites in the conference's preseason coaches' poll.