Several Creighton tennis players placed well in the Drake Invitational last weekend at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Jays faced off against talent from several schools, including University of Northern Iowa, Nebraska-Omaha, Drake and University of South Dakota.
Flight A of singles play was heavily influenced by the Jays. Freshman Sarah Wilcox took down her first three opponents before beating Drake’s Carmen Palumbo (6-3, 6-4) in straight sets in the finals of the flight.
On the other side of the bracket, senior Ashley Ishimura had success in her first matchups, winning 6-2, 7-5 in the first round followed by a 7-5, 6-1 win in the next round.
Ishimura would fall in the next round to Wilcox’s eventual finals opposition, Palumbo. She claimed third-place by default on Sunday.
In flight B, sophomore Erin Epperson had a bye on Friday before powering her way to the winner’s finals with Saturday’s play.
She rode a to a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 victory against Laura Janickova of University of South Dakota before just slipping past Drake’s Daria Walczak 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3).
In Sunday’s final, she fell came up short to USD’s Habiba Aly 1-6, 3-6.
Freshman Meredith Benson showed poise while earning herself third place of flight C.
After winning on Saturday off of a 6-2, 1-0 retire decision and a default, she took the third place game on Sunday over Olivia Faine of UNI in a 6-1, 6-0 win.
Ishimura and Wilcox took the court together for doubles, as well as Epperson and senior Michaela Henne for flight A.
Henne and Epperson beat the UNI senior duo of Reghan Lynch and Claudia Toledo in the first round 8-6 before falling in the second round.
At the top of the bracket, Ishimura and Wilcox enjoyed a bye before taking care of business against South Dakota’s junior Nanette Nylund and Aly 8-2, as well as Palumbo/Walczak of Drake 8-1 to advance to the finals, which was won by default.
Sophomore Julia Aguirre and junior Kendra Lavallee dropped their first match in doubles flight B before winning their next two. They fell to Rylee Tucker and Justine Linscott of UNO 4-8 in the losers final of their flight.
Head coach Tom Lilly was happy with the potential his squad showed in this first tournament of the season.
“We have a talented group and have the potential to have a great season, but will need to put a lot of work in this fall to get to where we want to be in the Spring.
Women’s tennis will next be in action Sept. 28-30 at the Koch Family Tennis Center in Omaha for the Bluejay Invite.