BLOOMINGTON, Illinois – The Prairie Fire battled but couldn't overcome an already-tested Illinois Wesleyan team and rainy weather on Tuesday.

The season-opening meet for Knox ended in a 6-0 defeat against the Titans at IWU's Beadles-Morse Courts.  Three matches were unfinished because of rain.

The Prairie Fire came out on the wrong end of close scores in two of the three doubles matches.  First-year Emily Miller (St. Louis, MO, Rosati-Kain) and sophomore Miranda Corbett (Algonquin, IL, Jacobs) dropped a tough 9-8 decision against their counterparts at #2 doubles from IWU.  First-year players Savannah Sailors (Newton, KS, Newton) and Maddie Schacht (Champaign, IL, Mahomet-Seymour) couldn't get over the hump in an 8-6 setback at #3 doubles.

In singles play, Sailors appeared to be on her way to a win at #4 – leading 6-0, 3-0 – when Mother Nature rudely interrupted.

The win was the first of the season for the Titans, who opened with a loss at Lake Forest College two days ago.  The Prairie Fire resume play on Saturday in Iowa at Simpson College (9:00 am) and Central College (2:00 pm).

Illinois Wesleyan 6, Knox College 0
Sep 01, 2015 at Bloomington, Ill. (Beadles-Morse Courts)

Singles competition

1. Dray, Dana (IWU) vs. Taytem Chapman (KCW) 6-4, 2-1, unfinished

2. Dao, Brianna (IWU) vs. Emily Miller (KCW) 6-1, 1-0, unfinished

3. Wilson, Randi (IWU) def. Miranda Corbett (KCW) 6-0, 6-0

4. Spontak, Allie (IWU) vs. Savannah Sailors (KCW) 0-6, 0-3, unfinished

5. Ruffolo, Kayleigh (IWU) def. Lauren Sparks (KCW) 6-1, 6-2

6. Robinson, Sam (IWU) def. Maddie Schacht (KCW) 6-1, 6-4

 

Doubles competition

1. Dray, Dana/Dao, Brianna (IWU) def. Taytem Chapman/Melissa Smith (KCW) 8-3

2. Wilson, Randi/Spontak, Allie (IWU) def. Emily Miller/Miranda Corbett (KCW) 9-8

3. Ruffolo, Kayleigh/Robinson, Sam (IWU) def. Savannah Sailors/Maddie Schacht (KCW) 8-6

 

Match Notes

Knox College 0-1

Illinois Wesleyan 1-1

Final three matches not finished due to rain