Box Score

Galesburg, IL –The Prairie Fire lost to a St. Norbert College team that's been on a roll the past three weeks 9-0 on Sunday at the Merdian Tennis Courts on the Knox campus.

The contest was the last at home during the fall season for Knox.  Coach Miriam Skrade's three seniors were recognized before the match for their dedication to the women's tennis program during their careers.

Dana Pierce (Barrington, IL, Barrington), Charlotte Garvin (Omaha, NE, Central), and Emiley Brand (Princeton, IL, Princeton) have more than 100 combined wins for the Prairie Fire in singles and doubles competition.  Unfortunately, none of them were able to add to their career win totals against the Green Knights – although Garvin and Pierce took their opponents to tiebreaking sets in #1 and #2 singles, respectively.

Garvin won the first set 6-4 in her #1 singles match against St. Norbert's Nancy Chybowski.  Chybowski escaped with a 7-6 decision over Garvin in the second set to force the tiebreaker, which she also won to claim the match victory.

Pierce lost 6-3 in the first set of her #2 singles match against Erika Chitko.  Pierce rebounded with a 6-2 win in the second set.  In the deciding set, Chitko held off Pierce for the win.

The Green Knights (10-1, 1-0 MWC North) did not allow a point in three of the remaining four singles matches.  Knox sophomore Margaret St. Clair (Mount Vernon, IA, Mount Vernon) prevented her #6 singles opponent from holding her scoreless.  After falling 6-0 in the first set, St. Clair lost the second set 6-2.

One of the three doubles matches, also involving one of the Prairie Fire's three seniors, was close despite being won by St. Norbert.

Pierce and sophomore Eden McKissick-Hawley (Prairie Village, KS, Shawnee Mission East) lost 8-6 in their #2 doubles match against the Knights' #2 doubles team of Elizabeth Manlick and Ashley Randazzo.

Knox (3-7, 2-0 MWC North) needs to win upcoming Midwest Conference South Division road matches against Lake Forest College and Cornell College before playing defending MWC champion Grinnell College.

The Prairie Fire and the Foresters (6-0, 0-0 MWC South) play on October 4 at 3:30 p.m.  Lake Forest is having a strong season to date and is the only team to defeat St Norbert College this season.  LFC edged the Green Knights 5-4 on September 7 at Lake Forest.  SNC has won eight straight matches since.

Knox and Cornell (2-7, 1-1 MWC South) square off on October 12 in Mount Vernon, Iowa.  The two top teams from the Midwest Conference North and South Divisions advance to the MWC Team Championships on October 18 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

Garvin, Pierce, and Brand have made significant contributions to the Knox women's tennis program during their careers.
 
2013 PRAIRIE FIRE WOMEN'S TENNIS SENIOR PROFILES

Charlotte Garvin

Charlotte began her varsity tennis career at Knox during the spring of 2011 and she's been a force for opponents to reckon with ever since.

She has 50 career wins (30 in singles play and 20 in doubles), and half of her victories have been against the opponent's #1 player.  Charlotte was a medalist at the 2011 Midwest Conference Singles Championships after finishing as the runner-up in the #3 flight her sophomore year.  She won seven straight singles matches going into the tournament and finished the fall season with a 9-3 record, the most singles victories in the fall by a Knox women's tennis player since 2007.  Charlotte added two more wins in the spring to conclude the 2011-12 season with an overall mark of 11-3 in singles play.

Charlotte returned to the semifinal round of the Midwest Conference Singles Championships last fall playing in the #2 flight.  She went on to finish the 2012-13 season with an 11-5 singles record, which included a 4-1 mark in the #1 slot. 
Charlotte has won five of the Prairie Fire's six #1 singles matches so far this season and she's been part of all three Knox #1 doubles wins.  She has a perfect 3-0 overall record in Midwest Conference South Division matches this fall to help the Prairie Fire start 2-0 in league play.

Charlotte reflected on her career at Knox by saying: "Knox tennis has been one of the best experiences I've had in my four years at Knox. I have been able to meet some of the greatest girls and formed some of my closest friendships because of it. Tennis has also created a great extracurricular opportunity and pushed me to be a better leader and teammate. I am sad to be leaving the program after this year, but I am so excited to see what is in store for the Prairie Fire and how far (coach Miriam Skrade) will improve the program! Go Fire!"
 
Dana Pierce

Dana has had a successful varsity tennis career at Knox playing #1 and #2 singles and primarily #1 doubles all four years.  An injury limited Dana's time on the court during the fall 2011 season – her sophomore year – yet she still owns 41 career victories (22 in singles play and 19 in doubles).

Dana finished her first season with a 9-7 record in the #1 singles position and she helped contribute to six more Prairie Fire wins in #1 doubles play.  Dana and former Knox women's tennis player Megan Funk upset the fourth seeded #1 doubles team from St. Norbert College in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Midwest Conference Doubles Championships in Madison, Wisconsin.  Dana also won a #1 singles match at the 2010 MWC Singles Championships.

Injured during fall 2011 regular season, Dana returned for the 2011 Midwest Conference Singles Championships and advanced to the #2 flight consolation title match.  She came back in the spring of 2012 to post a 2-1 mark in #1 doubles.

Dana led the team with five #1 singles wins last fall and finished the 2012-13 season with seven total singles victories.  She shared team-high honors with eight doubles wins, including seven paired up with Charlotte Garvin in #1 doubles.  Dana again advanced to the consolation title match, this time in the #1 flight, at the 2012 Midwest Conference Singles Championships while she and Charlotte earned a win for the team playing #1 doubles at the MWC Championships.

Dana is the Prairie Fire's co-leader with five singles wins so far this season, including four of the squad's five #2 singles victories.  She is a combined 4-0 in Midwest Conference South Division singles and doubles matches.

Dana reflected on her career at Knox by saying: "You'll meet some of your best friends through tennis. Even though you play tennis individually, it's a very tight-knit team. Tennis has shaped me into a better person. It teaches you discipline, dedication, perseverance, and how to be a team player. Have fun."
 
 
Emiley Brand

Emiley is in her full season of playing varsity tennis for the Prairie Fire.  She's compiled 21 career wins so far (11 in singles play and 10 in doubles) while moving up from playing primarily #6 singles last season to #3 singles this year.

Emiley earned seven singles victories last season, five of them in the #6 flight.  She posted two wins at the 2012 Midwest Conference Singles Championships playing #6 singles to advance to the consolation title match.  Emiley was also part of five doubles wins, four in the #3 position.  She and former teammate Sarah Bolitho won a match in the #3 flight at last year's MWC Doubles Championships before falling in the quarterfinals.

Emiley has added four singles victories this season, three in the #3 position and one playing #2 singles.  She has a 2-0 record for the Prairie Fire in Midwest Conference South Division matches.  Emiley is the team leader in doubles wins with four so far this fall.  She's teamed up for a pair of victories playing #2 doubles and one win each in the #3 and #1 doubles positions.  Emiley is 4-0 combined in conference singles and doubles matches.

Emiley reflected on her career at Knox by saying: "Participating in tennis has taught me a lot during my time as an undergraduate. It challenged me mentally and physically by demanding that I think on my feet during practices and especially, matches. However, the most valuable aspect I will take from being on the tennis team is the sense of camaraderie and family I have developed with the team. Charlotte and Dana became the first members of my Knox family when I stepped foot on campus, and the friendships I have developed with these girls, and all of the other girls on the team, are lasting. I am excited to see what new opportunities come my way off the courts, after graduation, but Knox women's tennis will have a fond place in my heart always."

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