The women’s tennis team is off to its best start since the 2004 season after notching a pair of impressive 7-0 victories at home last weekend.
The wins came over SIU-Edwardsville and Southeast Missouri State and pushed the Braves’ spring record to 5-1.
On Saturday, Bradley made quick work of the shorthanded Cougars, who only fielded a team of four.
Junior Emily Regenold and sophomore Nicole Miller recorded an 8-2 victory from the top doubles spot, a score that was duplicated by seniors Kim Braun and Erin Krubeck at No. 2 doubles.
The Braves completed the sweep after the third set was awarded to junior Jessica Buterbaugh and freshman Veronika Wojakowska because of a forfeit.
There was no letdown for the home team once singles competition started, with Miller winning 6-0, 6-3 as the No. 1 singles competitor, followed by a 6-2, 6-1 victory from Wojakowska, a 6-4, 6-2 final for Regenold and a 6-2, 6-1 win for Buterbaugh. Krubeck and Braun were both awarded forfeit victories to complete the sweep.
Bradley remained on its home court to face SEMO on Sunday – the second match of a season-long four-match home stand.
“I think winning at home is very important, with about 60 percent of our matches on the road, we want to have success when we have the home court advantage,” coach Scott Petersen said. “It is always a little harder to win on the road.”
The top doubles pairing of Miller and Regenold proved to be too much for the visitors, as they won 8-5. Following identical 8-0 victories from the No. 2 and 3 pairings, the Braves jumped out to an early lead they would never give up.
Miller continued her excellent singles play, notching a 7-6, 6-3 victory to push her record to 5-1 on the season. Wojakowska won 6-0, 6-0 from the No. 2 spot to remain perfect on the season at 5-0, while Regenold’s 6-0, 6-0 victory from the third spot kept her record spotless as well, at 6-0.
Buterbaugh also recorded a 6-0, 6-0 victory in her match as the No. 4, while Krubeck won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5. A late lineup change by SEMO gave Braun a default win at No. 6, giving the Braves their second sweep of the weekend.
“Overall, I am very happy with the successes we have had so far this season,” Petersen said. “We are really just trying to focus on the next match, we can’t look past anyone.”
The team will play host to Western Illinois on Saturday and Wisconsin-Green Bay to finish the homestretch on Sunday.