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Tennis squad splits weekend matches

 

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Bradley’s tennis team had their first road swing of the spring season this past weekend. The Braves battled the undefeated Wisconsin Badgers and the Chicago State Cougars.

After a tough loss on Saturday to the Badgers, the Braves rebounded with a close win against Chicago State on Sunday for the weekend split.

Saturday, the Braves took their 0-9 career record against the Big Ten to Madison. Junior Malini Wijesinghe was the bright spot for the Braves, as she won her first set 7-6 against Kelsey Grambeau. Unfortunately for Bradley, Wijesinghe couldn’t hold on, as Grambeau won the match in three sets. In the afternoon, Wisconsin took down the Braves 7-0.

“Even though we lost 7-0, it felt like we had some opportunities there where the score could have been different,” head coach Matt Tyler said. “I don’t think it was indicative of how we played.”

Senior Alejandra de Lasa returned to action for her first match this season. Since de Lasa is still recovering from a knee injury, she was limited to doubles action.

Coach Tyler touched on the significance of getting de Lasa back in the lineup.

“Having her back is great for team morale, [and] hopefully [brings] results in the future,” Tyler said. “[We’re] really glad that she’s on the mend and seems like she’s trending in the right direction.”

Following their tough loss to Wisconsin, the Braves arrived at Chicago State with something to prove on Sunday. Bradley got off to a good start as freshman Sandra Malentin, and sophomore Natalia Barberry took the first doubles point with a 6-0 victory.

After falling behind in the second and third doubles, the team got a huge lift from their singles players. Senior Alexa Brandt, Wijesinghe and Malentin each recorded singles victories, cementing the Braves’ 4-3 victory against Chicago State. Tyler said he was impressed with his team’s resilience.

“It’s a tough thing to be in a hole and claw out of it,” Tyler said. “It says a lot about the mental toughness we have … It gives the rest of the players a lot of confidence, gives me a lot of confidence in their ability, and we don’t have to panic when we lose a doubles point.”

Next week, the Braves will host Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois for a Saturday doubleheader. The match will serve as the first doubleheader of the season for Bradley. After the contest, the Braves will tough it out on the road for nine consecutive contests.

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