<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln - The No. 53 Nebraska women’s tennis team soared past the Wichita State Shockers, 5-2, Saturday, March 11, at the WoodsTennisCenter. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Huskers, as they improved to 8-3 on the season.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
NU made a switch in doubles, playing freshman Kim Hartmann and senior Milena Schulz-Gartner at the No. 1 spot and splitting up sophomore Imke Reimers and senior Ewelina Skaza who had played together in every spring match since the beginning of their Husker careers.
Hartmann and Schulz-Gartner fell at No. 1 to Madina Rakhim and Wendi Webster, 8-3, but the switch proved to be effective at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots. Reimers and senior Pamela Castillejos dominated Ana Ines Exeni and Anna Egorova at No. 2, 8-1, and Skaza and sophomore Ellinor Zugner topped Jackie Richey and Genevieve Spink, 8-6.
Reimers, who is ranked No. 95 nationally, got Nebraska off on the right foot early with a quick victory over Webster at the No. 2 spot, 6-2, 6-2. Schulz-Gartner, who has played the entire spring season at the No. 4 spot, played up at the No. 3 singles spot for the first time this season and recorded her fourth win in six matches with a 6-3, 6-3, victory.
No. 63 Hartmann played in the only match featuring two ranked players. Hartmann jumped out in the first set to take the lead, 6-2, but No. 81 Rakhim responded with a 7-6 win in the second set and a 10-8 victory in the super-breaker to record the victory.
“We competed hard against a much-improved WichitaState program,” Nebraska Head Coach Scott Jacobson said. “It was great preparation for the Colorado match tomorrow, and it was great to get a win after a tough loss to Iowa.”
The Huskers next hit the courts Sunday, March 12, at 10 a.m. at the WoodsTennisCenter, when they face No. 43 Colorado in a key conference battle.
No. 53 Nebraska 5, WichitaState 2
Doubles
No. 1 Madina Rakhim/Wendi Webster (WSU) def. Kim Hartmann/Milena Schulz-Gartner (NU), 8-3
No. 2 Imke Reimers/Pamela Castillejos (NU) def. Ana Ines Exeni/Anna Egorova, 8-1
No. 3 Ewelina Skaza/Ellinor Zugner (NU) def. Jackie Richey/Genevieve Spink (WSU), 8-6
Singles
No. 1 No. 81 Rakhim (WSU) def. No. 63 Hartmann (NU), 2-6, 7-6, 10-8
No. 2 No. 95 Reimers (NU) def. Webster, 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Schulz-Gartner (NU) def. Torrie Browning (WSU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 Anna Egorova (WSU) def. Vanessa Heute (NU), 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 Castillejos (NU) def. Exeni (WSU), 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 Skaza (NU) def. Richey (WSU), 6-4, 7-6 (4)