SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The 2017-18 Bellarmine University women's tennis team is officially the winningest in program history.
On Friday at Illinois Springfield, the Knights earned their program-record 19th victory of the season after dispatching the Prairie Stars 8-1 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.
Ranked third in the Midwest Region and 27th nationally, Bellarmine (19-2, 3-1 GLVC) surpassed the 18 victories it recorded last season with the triumph over Illinois Springfield (12-7, 3-2).
Seniors
Mairin Cotter and
Bess Fley, at No. 3 doubles, and senior
Marissa Kovach and sophomore
Jennifer Skonieczny, at No. 2, collected 8-3 victories. Junior
Maggie Walroth and sophomore
Ashley Jonathan made it a sweep in doubles play by outlasting Jane Carter and Ana Boza Martin 9-7 at No. 1.
Kovach and Cotter clinched the match for Bellarmine after straight-sets wins at Nos. 4 and 5 singles. Walroth and Jonathan both rallied after dropping their respective first sets for victories at Nos. 2 and 3, and freshman
Aubrey Smith cruised at No. 6.
Bellarmine plays at 11 a.m. Saturday at McKendree. If the Knights win, they will lock up the No. 1 seed from the East Division in the GLVC Tournament.
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