---Stephanie Isaacs (left) and Kristen Sunday helped NKU defeat SIUE in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

By Chad Hensley, NKU Sports Information

MIDLAND, Mich. - The magical season for the Northern Kentucky University women’s tennis team continued Thursday as the Norse defeated Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Southern Illinois at Edwardsville by a 5-0 score in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

NKU, the No. 4 seed in the Great Lakes Region, swept the threes doubles matches from SIUE and received singles wins from Stephanie Isaacs and Emily Okerson to finish of the fifth-seeded Cougars. SIUE, however, was leading in three of the four remaining singles matches that were left unfinished when NKU wrapped up the victory.

In the No. 1 doubles flight, Isaacs and Kristen Sunday improved their team record to 16-4 in dominating fashion over Carli Connors and Laura Horning by a score of 8-1.

Okerson and Michelle Schirmann defeated Ali Wulfers and Kelsey Laird by a score of 8-4 to improve their No. 2 doubles record to 18-5.

An 8-4 victory enabled the NKU No. 3 doubles tandem of Patricia Brink and Maggie Koetter to reach the 20-win plateau as they defeated Sarah Rhein and Stephanie Clark.

In singles action, Isaacs defeated Horning, 6-1, 6-0 in the second flight to improve her record to 16-4, while Okerson improved her record to 15-5 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Rhein.

When action was ceased after NKU wrapped up the victory, Connors was leading Brink, 6-3, 4-3 in flight one action, Wulfers was ahead of Sunday, 6-3, 4-2 in the third flight, and Laird was in front of Schirmann, 7-5, 2-1 for SIUE, while Koetter was close to finishing off Clark, 6-3, 4-0 for the Norse.

SIUE’s finished with a 14-9 record, and three of those losses came from the racquets of the Norse. This also marked the last time SIUE will play in the NCAA Division II nationals as the Cougars are reclassifying to Division I in the fall.

The win pushes NKU’s record to 18-4, and the Norse advance to play tournament host and No. 1 seed Northwood (Mich.) in second-round action at the Gerstacker Tennis Center. The Timberwolves (17-3), ranked 18th nationally, downed West Virginia State (21-3) by a final of 5-1 in the opening round.

First serve for the NKU/Northwood match will be at 10 a.m. Friday, with the winner advancing to the round of 16 and a trip to Houston, Texas, and the Division II Spring Sports Festival. The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and Rice University will serve as co-hosts to that event May 14-17.

NCAA II Great Lakes Regional
(at Midland, Mich.)
#4 Northern Kentucky 5, #5 SIU-Edwardsville 0
Singles competition
1. Patricia Brinck (NKU) vs. Carli Connors (SIUE) 3-6, 3-4, unfinished
2. Stephanie Isaacs (NKU) def. Laura Horning (SIUE) 6-1, 6-0
3. Kristen Sunday (NKU) vs. Ali Wulfers (SIUE) 3-6, 4-2, unfinished
4. Michelle Schirmann (NKU) vs. Kelsey Laird (SIUE) 5-7, 1-2, unfinished
5. Emily Okerson (NKU) def. Sarah Rhein (SIUE) 6-2, 6-2
6. Maggie Koetter (NKU) vs. Stephanie Clark (SIUE) 6-3, 4-0, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Stephanie Isaacs/Kristen Sunday (NKU) def. Carli Connors/Laura Horning (SIUE) 8-1
2. Emily Okerson/Michelle Schirmann (NKU) def. Ali Wulfers/Kelsey Laird (SIUE) 8-4
3. Patricia Brinck/Maggie Koetter (NKU) def. Sarah Rhein/Stephanie Clark (SIUE) 8-4