Box Score

Jacksonville, IL – The Prairie Fire remain unbeaten in the Midwest Conference South following a 7-2 victory at Illinois College on Tuesday.

The win by Knox snapped a string of two straight wins for the improved Lady Blues.  IC (2-2, 1-2 MWC South) downed Monmouth College 8-1 in a league contest on September 18 followed by a 6-3 triumph against Millikin University the next day.  Both Illinois College wins were at home.

The Prairie Fire (3-6, 2-0 MWC South) won four of the six singles matches and swept the doubles competition against IC.

Knox's three seniors posted victories.  Charlotte Garvin (Omaha, NE, Central) won 6-4, 6-2 in her #1 singles match,  Dana Pierce (Barrington, IL, Barrington) was a 6-3, 6-1 winner in #2 singles, and Emiley Brand (Princeton, IL, Princeton) downed her #3 singles opponent 6-1, 6-2.

Sophomore Eden McKissick-Hawley (Prairie Village, KS, Shawnee Mission East) also prevailed with a 7-5, 6-1 decision in #4 singles.

"When I play someone I know I can beat, I have a tendency to rush my game.  I feel pressure to hit winner after winner, and a lot of times I choke and lose," McKissick-Hawley said.  "A great coach helps you work through that, and that's exactly what coach Miriam Skrade did.  She understood exactly how I was feeling and talked me through it.  I turned it around and killed the second set 6-1.  I had to stay patient and calm."

Garvin and Brand teamed up for an 8-2 win in #1 doubles.  Pierce and McKissick-Hawley rolled 8-1 in #2 doubles and the Fire's #3 doubles team of junior Claire Neri (Melrose Park, IL, West Leyden) and sophomore Keegan Dohm (Bellingham, WA, Squalicum) completed the sweep by winning 8-5 in the #3 slot.

Skrade said after three tough dual meets prior to Illinois College, it was great to see confidence return to the team.

"It's tough, though, to make adjustments between such difficult opponents.  We will continue to be work on being adaptable and trusting our game," she said.  "You can only control your side of the court, and that's where we are focusing our efforts."

Knox meets St. Norbert College (7-1, 1-0 MWC North) in the regular season home finale on September 28 at 1:00.

The Prairie Fire's three remaining MWC South Division matches are at Lake Forest College (6-0, 0-0 MWC South) on October 4, and at both Cornell College (1-5, 0-1 MWC South) and defending champion Grinnell College (6-2, 3-0 MWC) on October 12.

Follow Prairie Fire athletics on Twitter and Facebook