Peoria, Ill. ? Scott Petersen's women's tennis team took advantage of the home courts on Saturday by going a combined 10-2 in singles play on the opening day of the Bradley Invitational at the David Markin Tennis Courts on the campus of Bradley University.
In a best-of-three format featuring each squad split into teams of three - with pool “A” featuring players Nos. 1,2,3 and pool “B” featuring players Nos. 4,5,6 - the Braves showed their strength at the top, sweeping Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Western Illinois in pool “A.”
Senior Ashley Morris needed a third-set super-tiebreaker in both contests, prevailing each time, 10-4. Morris opened the day with a dominating set against UWM's Margie Van Lieshout, 6-0, only to see Van Lieshout rebound to take the second at 6-4. Morris jumped out to a 5-1 lead at the tiebreak changeover and never looked back.
Junior Elise Montrose took care of the No. 2 spot in tidy fashion for the Braves, posting two straight-set wins. Montrose breezed through her opening set with UWM's Traci Litscher, 6-1, and closed her out, 6-4. Constanza Comacho of Western Illinois provided only slightly more of a challenge to Montrose as she picked up her game in the second set to prevail, 6-4, 6-2, for her fourth win of the season.
Freshman Kim Braun picked up the first two singles wins of her Bradley career, battling out a tough three-setter with UWM's Shayna Illingsworth and knocking out WIU's Jennifer Lutzke in straight sets, capping off a perfect 6-0 day for the top three in the Bradley lineup.
Junior Teri Chan came out unblemished in the “B” pool at her No. 4 position with two dominating straight-set decisions. Tracey Forking of Western Illinois proved no match for Chan's steady ground game in the opening round falling, 6-2, 6-2. IUPUI's Andrea Burkhardt, dropped down from the number two position from earlier in the day, got no reprieve from the Bradley No. 4 as Chan elevated her play to the challenge and dominated, 6-1, 6-3.
Freshmen Erin Krubeck and Jess Sampias each picked up a first-round win over Western Illinois in straight sets with Krubeck posting a 6-4, 6-2 tally and Sampias staying unbeaten at 3-0 with a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over Danielle Moy.
IUPUI got the best of the Braves in the only doubles action of the day taking two of three. Ashley Morris and Elise Montrose stayed perfect in picking up the Braves' lone result with a tough, 9-7, win over Mallory Stemle and Tessa Williams of IUPUI.
Action resumes at the Bradley Invitational on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
