The Northern Kentucky University’s Women’s’ and Tennis teams traveled to Richmond, Ky., for some doubleheader action on Feb. 2, facing Georgetown College and Eastern Kentucky University respectively.

The Norse defeated Georgetown College 5-4 in the first match.

In the singles flight, Michelle Schirmann defeated Bianca Rugimbana (6-2, 6-3),’ Jillian Sturgeon defeated Charis Gamibill (6-3, 6-1), and Maggie Koetter defeated Megan Watts (6-2, 6-2). Stephanie Isaacs, on the other hand, didn’t have to play an entire match to claim a victory as her opponent, Emily Kerrick, retired in the beginning of the second set after a knee injury.

Isaacs said she could tell that her opponent was having the knee problem after the first game of the match, but continued to apply pressure to Kerrick.

‘She wasn’t able to move very well, so I moved her around and had very short points,’ Issacs said.

In the doubles flight, Michelle Schirmann and Ivana Misic were able to get a win over Charis Gambill and Megan Mars (8-5) in their first outing as a pair.

According to Misic, the on-court communication with Schirmann was good despite never having played together before, which allowed the team to move toward a strategic win.
‘We kept the ball in play and we let them make the mistakes,’ she said.

In the second match, EKU posed a different challenge that the Norse couldn’t overcome, routing NKU 7-0.

The Colonel’s Alexandra Sitnikova, who sat out in all of EKU’s earlier matches that day, defeated Stephanie Isaacs (6-1, 6-0).

After the match, Isaacs regarded Sitnokova as one of the toughest opponents she has faced during her three-year NKU career.

‘She was just a tough player,’ she said. ‘Everything about her game was amazing.’
Next, NKU will take a trip to Hilton Head, S.C. where it will take on Transylvania at noon on March 8.