The Benedictine University women's tennis team split its Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) opening matches on Saturday. The Eagles (1-2, 1-1 NAC) lost to Marian University, 6-3, before bouncing back to take an 8-1 decision from Lakeland College.

Marian 6, BU 3  - Box Score

Benedictine found victories at Nos. 3 and 4 singles where newcomer Vivianna Iway and junior Andrea Oliva were victorious. Iway was a 6-1, 6-1 winner, while Oliva had top work all three sets (6-1, 5-7, 6-3) to notch the win.

The Eagles also won at first doubles, where the tandem of junior Ewelina Stachulak and senior Lisa Carrillo won the pro set, 9-8 (7-3 in the tiebreaker).


BU 8, Lakeland 1 - Box Score

The Eagles rolled to wins in five of the six singles matches and swept all three doubles competitions to wrap up the day with the win over Lakeland College (Wis.). The lone loss for Benedictine was a Stachulak setback at No. 1 singles.

However, after that the Eagles plowed through the Lakeland lineup like Sherman through Atlanta. Carrillo battled at second singles to a hard-fought 7-5, 6-1 win. Teammates Iway, Oliva, Leigh Martino and Nicole Choinka all won in straight sets at the Nos. 3-6 singles positions, while losing just two games combined among the quartet.

At No. 1 doubles, the Stachulak-Carrillo express kept rolling, this time to a 9-7 win. No. 2 doubles was won by Oliva and Martino, while third doubles belonged to Lina Savickas and Choinka, 8-0.


COD Doubles Tournament

Benedictine also sent a contingent of players to the College of DuPage Doubles Tournament, allowing head coach Mandy Semenik to get some competition in for all 13 of her roster players. Senior Jenni Brechtel and newcomer Emily Theisen went 1-2 on the day (with the win coming over Judson College, 6-4, 6-3).