ORLANDO, Fla. – The Yellowjacket women's tennis team got back in the win column, splitting a pair of matches at Lake Cane Tennis Center Wednesday.
The Yellowjackets rolled to their most win of the season in the first match of the day, defeating Illinois Wesleyan 8-1, before falling in their second match of the day to Westminster College out of Pennsylvania, 6-3.
Following Wednesday's competition, the Yellowjackets have an overall record of 3-8 (0-1 UMAC) in 2023.
Match One
Against Illinois Wesleyan, the Yellowjackets flexed their muscle in a big way, taking all three doubles matches and going 5-1 in singles play. The duo of
Shelby Hanson (Albert Lea, Minn./Albert Lea Senior) and
Jessi Kukowski (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) rolled at No. 2 doubles, blanking the pair of Macy Michorczyk and Andie Wilson 8-0.
Meanwhile at No. 1 doubles, the team of
Andreina Tejada (Quito, Ecuador/Isaac Newton) and
Courtney Brandt (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids Senior) defeated the top pair of Illinois Wesleyan, Kate Christian and Raji More 8-3. The pairing of Daylynn Drew and
Brooke Wilfong (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) completed the doubles sweep, taking down Liza Matimore and Marianna Arias at No. 3 doubles, 8-2.
The roll continued in singles play, with Tejada defeating Christian at No. 1 singles 6-2, 6-3. Brandt earned her second win in as many days, knocking off Michorczyk at No. 3 singles in rapid fashion, 6-1, 6-0.
Brooke Wilfong (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) earned a straight-sets win at No. 4 singles, defeating Wilson 6-1, 6-4. At No. 5 singles,
Haley Quick (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail High School and Academy) was victorious over Matimore by scores of 6-1, 6-3. And at No. 6 singles, Kukowski rolled, winning over Arias without losing a game, 6-0, 6-0.
Kukowski has been on fire of late, going a perfect 5-0 in singles play in 2023, and in her last two matches, she dropped just three games.
Match Two
The second match of the day was another tight one. After jumping out to a 2-1 lead in doubles play, Westminster rallied and came back on the Yellowjackets, winning 6-3.
At No. 1 doubles, the Yellowjacket pair of Tejada and Brandt defeated Gia Francisco and Christine Rossi 8-6.
Continuing their strong doubles play, the team of Kukowski and Hanson earned an 8-4 win over Sabrina Slagle and Emma Sukal at No. 2 doubles. The duo has been dynamic of late, having picked up wins in six of their last nine matches.
From there, Westminster took off, picking up wins over the Yellowjackets in singles slots 1-4. The lone Yellowjacket win in singles play came at No. 5, where Quick earned her second victory of the day. After dropping the first set 6-7 (1-7 in the tiebreaker), Quick came from behind to take the second set 7-6 (7-1 in the tiebreaker). With things tied 1-1, Quick took the match, winning the tiebreaker 10-6.
Marina Dostal (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet Senior) took the first set at No. 2 singles, but fell to Emma Sukal in a tiebreaker. The same went for Wilfong, who won her first set at No. 4 singles before eventually falling in a tiebreaker. At No. 6 singles, Kukowski suffered her first defeat of the season in a tiebreaker.
After a day off the Yellowjackets will play a pair Friday to close out their Florida swing. The 'Jackets will play Ohio Wesleyan at 6:30 a.m., followed by a match with Carthage at noon. Both start times are Central Daylight Time.
