BLOOMINGTON, Illinois – The Prairie Fire came up short of a win at Illinois Wesleyan University on Wednesday.

Knox and IWU squared off in an early season non-conference match, and the Titans prevailed 8-1.

First-year Taytem Chapman (Lincoln, NE, Lincoln East) won her #1 singles match against IWU's only senior Josie Linman 6-4, 6-3 for the Prairie Fire.  "We were the last court to finish so both teams and all of the coaches were watching," Chapman said.  "It was great to have my whole team there to support me during my match."

Head coach Miriam Skrade described Chapman as a humble and steady leader for the team playing in the #1 singles and doubles slots.  "She shows no fear during competition. She and Eden (McKissick-Hawley) are showing great potential as a doubles tandem. They've already come a long way in reading the other's movements and setting the other up for solid finishes," Skrade added.

Chapman and sophomore Eden McKissick-Hawley (Prairie Village, KS, Shawnee Mission East), the #1 doubles team for Knox, played a close match with Illinois Wesleyan's duo of Linman and Brianna Dao.  The hosts pulled away and posted an 8-5 victory.

Senior Claire Neri (Melrose Park, IL, West Leyden), first-year Miranda Corbett (Algonquin, IL, Jacobs), first-year Lauren Sparks (Salem, OR, South Salem), and junior Maggie St. Clair (Mount Vernon, IA, Mount Vernon) also competed in the varsity match for the Prairie Fire.

Knox begins Midwest Conference play on September 10 at Monmouth College.  The match is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. on the Monmouth campus.

Illinois Wesleyan 8, Knox 1 - women tennis results
Sept. 3, 2014, Beadles-Morse Courts, Bloomington, Ill.

SINGLES
No. 1 - Taytem Chapman def. Josie Linman (IW), 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 - Brianna Dao (IW) def. Eden McKissick-Hawley (K), 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 - Gail Mar (IW) def. Claire Neri (K), 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 - Randi Wilson (IW) def. Miranda Corbett (K), 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 - Claudia McGee-Morales (IW) def. Lauren Sparks (K), 6-2, 6-2
No. 6 - Cayla Dole (IW) def. Maggie St. Clair (K), 6-0, 6-2

DOUBLES
No. 1 - Dao/Mar (IW) def. Chapman/McKissick-Hawley (K), 8-5
No. 2 - Linman/Marina Johnson (IW) def. Neri/Corbet (K), 8-2
No. 3 - Wilson/Allie Spontak (IW) def. Sparks/St. Clair (K), 8-0

RECORDS:
Knox 0-3
IWU 1-1