Originally planned as a three-match, two day weekend became a marathon four-match event that technically spanned five days, but Brian Jordan – and his team – didn't mind after the squad showed major signs of improvement.
Knotted at 2-2 against Knox last Wednesday, the match was suspended due to darkness, set to resume Friday at Knox. The Prairie Fire wound up taking the match 6-3, but not before
Natalie Curtis had picked up a pair of wins – one an 8—6 No. 2 doubles win with
Morgan Holle and the other a three set victory at No. 6 singles…and that was only a hint of good things to come for Monmouth's women.
The Scots traveled to Chicagoland for Saturday and Sunday matches, starting at Dominion Saturday afternoon, winning at No. 2 doubles 8-5 and No. 3 doubles with
McKenzie DeVilder and
Haley Johnston 8-0 to set up a 6-3 Monmouth win.
Katherine Hinman and
Emma Johanns nearly joined the celebration at No. 1, but were edged 9-7. Monmouth then posted four, straight set singles wins – No. 2 Johanns, No. 4 Holle, No. 5
Lexi Tibbs and Curtis at No. 6. Hinman won her first set at No. 1, but came up just short in Set 2, 7-5 and in the tiebreaker 11-9.
Sunday's twinbill featured strong showings against Illinois Wesleyan – a 7-2 loss – and North Central – a 6-3 setback. DeVidler and Johnston picked up the lone doubles win on the day – a 9-7 nailbiter vs. North Central. Johanns and Curtis then picked up two singles wins apiece in the day's matches – Johanns winning a pair of three-setters while Curtis cruised to straight set wins.
The Scots had nearly pulled off a doubles sweep with North Central, but Monmouth's No. 1 team fell 8-6 and No. 2 went down 9-7. It was a similar situation in singles where Holle at No. 4 dropped a third-set tiebreaker 11-9 and at No. 3 when DeVilder was edged 10-8 in the third set.
By the time the weekend wound down, Curtis had posted a combined 6-2 record – tops for the Scots – with four singles wins and two doubles wins.
Johanns was right behind Curtis, posting a 3-1 record at No. 2 singles.
The Scots travel to Illinois College to resume Midwest Conference play Tuesday evening and then take 10 days off before returning to action Oct. 7.
