CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Western Michigan women's tennis team opened the ITA Midwest Regional at the University of Illinois on Thursday, with
Ayana Yaguchi,
Audrey Smitek and Marielou Badouin winning opening matches.
Yaguchi defeated Northern Illinois' Malika Kabdesh 0-6, 6-1, 6-1 to advance to the second round of the qualifying draw. She was then pitted against Erica Jessel from Northwestern, falling to Jessel 4-6, 3-6. Smitek opened with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Illinois State's Sophie Marie Lowe before being bested by Wisconsin's Ellison Reynoldson, 4-6, 2-6.
Baudouin defeated Eastern Michigan's Regina Mendez 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, but fell later to Nataly Miroslava Ninova from NIU in three sets, 6-4, 3-7, 5-7.
Sienna Osborne,
Polina Khotko and
Frida Weijerman all dropped their opening matches and moved to the consolation bracket. Weirjman picke up a 6-4, 6-2 win over ISU's Vittoria Benedetti, with the other two dropping matches.
The Broncos are back in action on Friday in doubles action, along with graduate student
Lola Glantz competing in the Singles Main Draw.