INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The sun shone bright in IUPUI's first outdoor match this season, but only for the Broncos. With only five players available, the Jaguars struggled to be competitive with a strong Western Michigan team and fell 6-0.
 
It was an impromptu decision to move the match outdoors, but it didn't make much of a difference. Down a player, the Jaguars were forced to forfeit the No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles matches. It didn't help that the player was Rachel Swartwood, who typically plays No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles.
 
Western Michigan needed just one doubles win to take the point and got it at No. 2 doubles over Rachael Bridegroom and Bobbi Modesto.
 
The Jaguars would need to win four of five singles matches since they spotted the Broncos a 2-0 lead and it didn't seem likely when four of five dropped the first set.
 
The second set showed more promise though, keeping hope alive.
 
Vanessa Whyte jumped out to a 3-0 lead at No. 1 singles and seemed to have her opponent, Kathleen Hawkins, on the ropes. Hawkins fought to get back on serve at 3-3, but Whyte broke right back. Serving up 4-3, she had a chance to put the match away with two holds of serve, but Hawkins won three straight games and six of seven overall to steal the set and win the match 6-1, 6-4.  
 
Julie Brockman kept her second set much tighter and nearly forced a third, but lost 6-1, 7-5.
 
After winning the opening set 6-3, Modesto didn't put up much fight in the second leading to a third-set super tiebreak.
 
Neither Modesto nor her opponent, Meika Ashby, could hold serve early. Ashby served first and Modesto broke the first of four straight points. After falling behind 3-5, she won three-straight to take a 6-5 lead. Ashby fired back though holding twice on her serve and breaking Modesto twice to earn three match points. She would win the tiebreak and the match on a long 22-shot rally two points later.
 
A loss is a loss, but the Jaguars had opportunities to get some wins in this one, making it all the more difficult. Now they'll have to wait until Friday (Mar. 21) when they face Milwaukee in the first of three matches next weekend.
 
 
Results:
IUPUI 0 – WIU 6
 
Singles:
1. Kathleen Hawkins (WMU) def. Vanessa Whyte (IUPUI) 6-1, 6-4
2. Nini Sujashvili (WMU) def. Rachael Bridegroom (IUPUI) 6-1, 6-1
3. Meika Ashby (WMU) def. Bobbi Modesto (IUPUI) 6-3, 1-6, 1-0 (10-7)
4. Carolina Aleck (WMU) def. Julie Brockman (IUPUI) 6-1, 7-5
5. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Abbey Neff (IUPUI) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles:
1. Meika Ashby/Yuriko Ono (WMU) def. Abbey Neff/Julie Brockman (IUPUI) 8-3
2. Kathleen Hawkins/Caroline Aleck (WMU) def. Rachael Bridegroom/Bobbi Modesto (IUPUI) 8-2
 
Notes:
IUPUI (1-11)
WMU (11-5)
Order of Finish: Doubles – 2, 1 / Singles – 2, 5, 4, 1, 3