West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois University (WIU) tennis team secured a significant victory against Southern Indiana, marking their first conference win since 2018. The match took place in Jasper, Indiana.

In doubles competition, WIU's Leathernecks won two out of three matches. The No. 1 pair, Nour Gueblaoui and Chloé Routier, faced a challenging game and lost 2-6. However, the No. 2 duo of Richardlyne Francois and Mana Fawcett capitalized on an opponent retirement after leading 4-1. At No. 3, Paige Grice and Anna Trush triumphed in a tiebreaker with a score of 7-6 (7-5), securing the first point for WIU.

Singles play saw mixed results for the Leathernecks. Routier at No. 1 lost her match with scores of 0-6 and 3-6. Grice, playing at No. 2, had a competitive match but was defeated with scores of 4-6 and 3-6. Francois maintained her form at No. 3 by winning both sets decisively at 6-1 each. Fawcett also delivered a strong performance at No. 4, finishing her match with identical set scores of 6-1.

Gueblaoui's performance was pivotal as she won both sets at No. 5 with clean scores of 6-0 each, clinching the overall victory for WIU. Although Trush won her first set at No. 6 with a score of 6-3, she did not complete her match as WIU had already secured the win with an overall score of 4-2.

Looking ahead, WIU Tennis is scheduled to compete against the SEMO Redhawks in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, March 22.

For further updates on Leatherneck Women's Tennis, fans can visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.