Eagles Spoil Titans' Season Debut

Michelle Spicer and Maddie Toboyek were individual winners as the UW-Oshkosh women's tennis team opened its 2020-21 season with a 6-3 loss to first-time opponent University of Northwestern (Minn.) on Friday (March 5) at Valley Fitness & Racquet in Neenah.

UW-Oshkosh, which hadn't competed since last March due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, won 2 of 6 singles matches and 1 of 3 doubles contests against the Eagles of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.

The University of Northwestern earned the first victory of the night as Sabrina Bush and Taylar Smith defeated Angie Carini and Hannah Stitt, 8-2, at No. 3 doubles.

The Titans responded with a win in the next competition as Toboyek and Courtney Salisbury outscored Ellie Dodge and Jessica Gross, 8-5, at No. 2 doubles.

The University of Northwestern's tandem of Mafee Rinta and Belinda Weddle then closed the doubles portion of the match with a hard-fought 8-7 (8-6) win over Spicer and Taylor Johnson in the first flight.

The Eagles improved their lead over the Titans to 4-1 on victories from Bush at No. 5 and Smith at No. 6 singles. Bush defeated Stitt, 6-0, 6-2, while Smith ousted Madeline Beck, 6-1, 6-0.

Toboyek got one of those defeats back for UW-Oshkosh in the next contest with her 6-2, 6-1 win over Gross at No. 3 singles.

The University of Northwestern then clinched its victory over UW-Oshkosh in the following match as Weddle gave the Eagles a 5-2 lead with her 6-0, 6-2 win over Johnson at No. 2 singles.

The teams split their remaining two contests, including the No. 1 singles match, where UW-Oshkosh's Spicer defeated Rinta, 6-2, 6-2. The University of Northwestern's Dodge was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Salisbury at No. 4 singles.

UW-Oshkosh is off until it hosts the Milwaukee School of Engineering on March 27 at Valley Fitness & Racquet.

Postmatch Interview (Billy Piotrowski) With UW-Oshkosh Head Women's Tennis Coach Robert W. LeBuhn

Photo by Steve Frommell, UW-Oshkosh Athletics