DECATUR, IL – The Principia Women's Tennis team traveled to Millikin University on Saturday for the Dorothy McClure Invitational to take part in their first two matches of the fall season.
Their first match against the host Millikin provided a good assessment of where the Panthers are in their development and where they hope to progress to. The Panthers have four new players this year – Bissola Lassissi, who is a junior transfer, and three freshmen: Saray Hernandez Cisneros, Kimbeley Peterson, and Philena Kuester. The other two members of the lineup this fall are the two returning captains, Kelsie Huss and Ruth Hummell.
Millikin is a strong team who is regionally ranked. The Principia women competed and learned a lot, but were not able to keep their ground strokes deep enough against their experienced opponents. At #1 singles, Lassissi improved her play in the second set and had an opportunity to take the lead, but she was defeated by the steady, adaptive play of her opponent.
After the lunch break, the Panthers took on Milwaukee School of Engineering and fared much better. In four of six of their wins, the Principia women didn't drop a single game. This included Lassissi and Peterson at #1 doubles, Lassissi at #1 singles, Huss at #2 singles, and Hummell at #4 singles. Peterson also earned her first collegiate singles victory at #3 singles.
The travel north was a great opportunity for the team to bond and support each other. They are looking forward to learning more and making progress in their strategies moving forward.
Up Next: The team will play at Illinois College next Saturday in Jacksonville, IL.
