The Lake Forest College women's tennis team was the first to compete this fall and started the season at home with a 6-0 victory over Mount Mary University and a 9-0 triumph over Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday. Senior Christi Valicenti was one of three Foresters to go 4-0 on the day.
Valicenti and freshman Billie Rodman were the first to finish their doubles match against Mount Mary. They did not lose a game in their 8-0 victory at #1. Senior Grace Dowling and freshman Allison Watts prevailed 8-1 at #2 and junior Zoe Maurer teamed with freshman Tricia Paterakos on an 8-3 win at #3.
Due to wet courts the teams were only able to get in three of the six singles matches. Rodman shut out her opponent 8-0 at the top spot in the lineup and Valicenti won by the same score at #3. Dowling lost just one game in an 8-1 victory at #3.
The Foresters used the same lineup against Illinois Wesleyan and the results were similar. Rodman and Valicenti posted another 8-0 victory at #1 doubles while Dowling and Watts matched that score at #2. Maurer and Paterakos prevailed 8-2 at #3.
Rodman's 6-0, 6-0 final score at #1 singles finished off a day during which she won all 36 games she played against the top players from both opponents. Valicenti came out on top of a 6-2, 6-1 decision at #2 and Dowling triumphed 6-1, 6-3 at #3. Watts won 6-1, 6-0 at #4, Maurer took both sets 6-4 at #5, and Paterakos posted a 6-4, 7-5 victory at #6.
Mount Mary and Illinois Wesleyan were also playing for the first time this season.
Lake Forest will be in action again next Saturday in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Warhawk Invitational.