Warriors Split Season Opener In Chicago

CHICAGO, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - The Wisconsin Lutheran College women's tennis team opened its 2019 fall schedule with a non-conference split Saturday afternoon, falling to host North Park 6-3 before boucning back with an identical 6-3 win over Knox at River Park.

• Final Scores: North Park 6, Wisconsin Lutheran 3; Wisconsin Lutheran 6, Knox 3
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (1-1), North Park (1-0), Knox (0-1)
• Location: River Park, Chicago, Illinois

• The Warriors opened their match against North Park with an 8-7 tiebreak win at No. 1 doubles behind the team of Amanda Wietrzny (Pewaukee, Wis.) and Sandhya Akella (Carmel, Ind.). The Vikings closed out doubles play with 8-0 and 8-1 wins at the remaining two flights.
• NPU claimed victories at the first three singles flights as well as the No. 5 slot. Wisconsin Lutheran picked up wins at No. 4 and No. 6 from Amanda Las (Bangor, Wis.) and Taylor Kresa (Milwaukee, Wis.) by scores of 6-2, 6-2 and 6-2, 4-6, 10-6, respectively.
• WLC collected two wins in doubles play in the afternoon match vs. Knox. Las and Reebee Ratkowski (Waterford, Wis.) were 8-1 winners at No. 2 and Madeleine Steber (Green Bay, Wis.) and Anna Krause (Fitchburg, Wis.) picked up an 8-3 victory at No. 3.
• The Prairie Fire took the first two flights of singles play before the Warriors rattled off four wins to earn their first win of the year.
• Ratkowski (6-2, 6-1), Las (6-1, 6-1), Steber (6-0, 6-0), and Kresa (6-2, 6-2) tallied straight set wins at No. 3 through No. 6 as the Warriors closed out the win.

• Krause, Kresa, and Steber notched their first career wins for the Warriors. Las picked up her 11th career singles victory, while Ratkowski won her 18th.
• The win was the Warriors' first over Knox in just their second all-time meeting to date.

• The Warriors have off until next Saturday when they begin their NACC schedule with a road match against Illinois Tech (0-1). First serve is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at XS Tennis in Chicago.