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.
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Following Wednesday's competition, the Yellowjackets have an overall record of 3-8 (0-1 UMAC) in 2023.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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At No. 1 doubles, the Yellowjacket pair of Tejada and Brandt defeated Gia Francisco and Christine Rossi 8-6.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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