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Wednesday April 9, 2008
By Robert Jackson
Sports Editor
The Prairie Stars won the Hack Kellner Invitational on Friday after beating the only other opponent that showed up, Elgin Community College.
Elgin Community College entered the contest 6-3 exclusively playing two-year colleges before traveling to Washington Park on Friday and Saturday.
Rosanna Ramillo and Ashley McGowan defeated ECC’s Luiza Aleksieczak and Kelsey Altiera 8-4 while Priyanka Deo and newcomer Liz Duggan defeated Danielle Sum and Tonya Dietz. The teams played twice in doubles because ECC fielded four players.After doubles action the Prairie Stars swept ECC in four single matches by a combined score of 24-4 with Ramillo, McGowan, Kathleen Brancato, and freshman Thiyumi Abeysinghe defeating their opponents in two sets.
Abeysinghe continued her success at singles play, having won every match since opening the second part of the year with a loss against Lindenwood’s Allison Gilles. The freshman from Sri Lanka has won her sets by an average score of 6-1.
ECC and UIS scrimmaged again on Saturday with Duggan, Jennifer Gebben, Nicole Cudiamat, and Sarah Wellard all competing for the Prairie Stars.
With the team 8-3 on the season, women’s tennis head coach Manny Velasco entered the contest expecting the Prairie Stars to face a gritty and determined ECC squad. “We have a little reputation around here,” the coach said, “every team around is going to play hard against us.”According to the coach the team rises against the oppositions’ best effort by putting pressure on itself to play hard and win every outing.
Velasco still would like to see the team be more consistent throughout matches before the team’s next date on April 19. What that means to Velasco is the team keeps the same mentality from the first serve of the match to the last point of the match. With Saturday’s win, the tennis team improved by two more wins than last year’s squad.
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