Women's Tennis | 9/19/2015 11:20:00 PM

GALESBURG, Illinois—The Prairie Fire split a conference doubleheader on Saturday by finishing strong against Beloit.
 
After losing 9-0 in the morning match against Carroll, Knox bounced back in a big way to earn their first conference victory of the season.
 
"Our improvement in point play showed this afternoon," said head coach Lawrence Eyre.
 
The Buccaneers lineup was top heavy beating the Prairie Fire's top-2 singles players and top doubles team. However, Knox took the remainder of the matchups, proving to be the deeper team.
 
The doubles team of first-years Savannah Sailors (Newton, KS, Newton) and Maddie Schacht (Champaign, IL, Mahomet-Seymour) got things rolling with an 8-5 win. Sophomore Miranda Corbett (Algonquin, IL, Jacobs) and first-year Melissa Smith (Lemont, IL, Lemont Township) then won 8-0. Sailors, Smith, Corbett and sophomore Lauren Sparks (Salem, OR, South Salem) also won their singles matches.
 
"Miranda clinched the team victory," added Eyre. "I'm proud of our players' improvement."
 
The Prairie Fire return to action on September 20 against Lake Forest at home. The match begins at 9:00 a.m.
 
Knox 6
Beloit 3

Singles competition
1. Trina Capelli (BC) def. Taytem Chapman (KCW) 6-0, 6-2
2. Sarah Rapp (BC) def. Emily Miller (KCW) 6-4, 6-3
3. Savannah Sailors (KCW) def. Alex Kurpiel (BC) 6-1, 6-0
4. Melissa Smith (KCW) def. Kiri Youngquist (BC), by default
5. Miranda Corbett (KCW) def. Allison Vance (BC) 6-1, 6-2
6. Lauren Sparks (KCW) def. Nyasha Nyamhondoro (BC) 1-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-4)
 
Doubles competition
1. Trina Capelli/Sarah Rapp (BC) def. Taytem Chapman/Emily Miller (KCW) 8-0
2. Savannah Sailors/Maddie Schacht (KCW) def. Alex Kurpiel/Kiri Youngquist (BC) 8-5
3. Miranda Corbett/Melissa Smith (KCW) def. Allison Vance/Nyasha Nyamhondoro (BC) 8-0

Carroll 9
Knox 0

Singles competition
 
1. Krzewinski, Megan (CU-W) def. Emily Miller (KCW) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
2. Miketinac, Lauren (CU-W) def. Savannah Sailors (KCW) 6-0, 6-0
3. Mogden, Shanna (CU-W) def. Melissa Smith (KCW) 6-1, 6-0
4. Lambrecht, Alison (CU-W) def. Miranda Corbett (KCW) 6-1, 6-2
5. Goebel, Lauren (CU-W) def. Lauren Sparks (KCW) 6-0, 6-0
6. Scidmore-Rossing, K (CU-W) def. Maddie Schacht (KCW) 6-4, 6-0
 

Doubles competition
 
1. Miketinac, Lauren/Lambrecht, Alison (CU-W) def. Taytem Chapman/Emily Miller (KCW) 8-2
2. Krzewinski, Megan/Scidmore-Rossing, K (CU-W) def. Savannah Sailors/Melissa Smith (KCW) 8-1
3. Maggioncalda, Tiff/Goebel, Lauren (CU-W) def. Miranda Corbett/Maddie Schacht (KCW) 8-1