ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- The Northwestern College women's tennis team (3-0, 0-0 GPAC) completed the fall portion of their season last night, Oct. 7, with a 6-1 victory over the Tritons of Iowa Central Community College (1-3). 

"We played well yesterday against Iowa Central," said head coach Jamie De Jong. "Honestly, I really wasn't sure what we would be facing. ICCC brings in a lot of International players and they tend to be trained well. We went in with positive, can-do attitudes and managed to take the win."

The Raiders took five of the six singles matches to outscore the Tritons 5-1. In the one spot, Julia Kutz (Fr., Sheridan, Wyo.) lost a long intense match 3-6, 6-4, 14-12 in the tiebreaker. Brailey DeLao (Jr., Mont Belvieu, Texas) was able to defeat Ilea in comeback fashion 7-5 and 6-2. Wynee Vandersall (Jr., Martelle, Iowa/Mount Vernon) also found herself in a tiebreaker situation. Vandersall was able to take the match 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 to secure another point for the Raiders. Ainsle Robinson (Fr., Luverne, Minn./Luverne) defeated Veldhuizen 6-2, 7-5. The final two matches were cut short after Northwestern clinched the duel with four points and the last two matches counted for towards the Raiders as ICCC forfeited those. Rachel Coppock (Fr., Pella, Iowa) competed in a pro-set exhibition match and won that 8-3 against Delaney of Iowa Central CC. 

Coach De Jong added, "DeLaO (position 2) impressed me with her match. DeLaO was down 1-4 in her first set, but kept her composure, working her way through a positive mental path, overtaking her opponent, 7-5. She continued to keep a cool mental attitude, sealing a 2nd set 6-2 for another match win for the Raiders. We swept the doubles to earn us the 1 extra point, that was fun."

As Coach De Jong pointed out, the doubles point went the way of the Raiders after they swept those matches. The combination of Kutz and Robinson battled Moyo and Ilea to a 6-6 score with the win coming in the form of a tiebreaker, 10-8. DeLao and Vandersall defeated Semery and Siebenaler easily 6-1. Wilson and Twelmeyer finished off the sweep with a 6-4 win. 

"We are growing in the right direction, hoping to peak at conference play in April," said Coach De Jong. 

Northwestern 6, ICCC 1

Doubles:
#1 Julia Kutz/Ainslie Robinson (NWC) def. Moyo/Ilea (ICCC) 6-6 (10-8)
#2 Brailey DeLao/Wynne Vandersall (NWC) def. Semery/Siebenaler (ICCC) 6-1
#3 Jessica Wilson/Grace Twelmeyer (NWC) def. Schaffner/Veldhuizen (ICCC) 6-4
*NWC takes the doubles point
 
Singles:
#1 Emma Semery (ICCC) def. Julia Kutz (NWC) 3-6, 6-4, 14-12
#2 Brailey DeLao (NWC) def. Antoni Ilea (ICCC) 7-5, 6-2
#3 Wynee Vandersall (NWC) def. Lubelihle Moyo (ICCC) 6-3, 4-6, 10-5
#4 Ainslie Robinson (NWC) def. Tricia Veldhuizen (ICCC) 6-2, 7-5
#5 Jessica Wilson (NWC) def. MaKenna Schaffnew (ICCC) – forfeit ICCC
#6 Emma Montenegro (NWC) def. Madison Siebenalder (ICCC) 3-2 – forfeit ICCC
Extra - Rachel Coppock (NWC) def. Alyssa Delaney (ICCC) 8-3 (8 game pro set)
 

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