Nebraska Blanks Billikens

Lincoln - The Nebraska women's tennis team improved to 6-0 on Friday after a 7-0 sweep of the Saint Louis Billikens at the Nebraska Tennis Center. The Billikens fell to 0-4 with the loss, while the 7-0 victory gives the Huskers their sixth consecutive sweep to open the season, tied for their best shutout streak in team history.

"Every individual on this team has a tremendous work ethic," Head Coach Scott Jacobson said. "It's really made a difference in our level of play and also the improvements we've made from January till now."

The Huskers made quick work of the Billikens in doubles play, winning 8-3 at No. 1, 8-0 at No. 2 and 8-1 at No. 3. Maria Ring and Wiveca Swarting, playing at No. 2 doubles, earned their second 8-0 victory of the season, and have only surrendered one game in their past three matches.

Swarting held her singles opponent scoreless as well, defeating SLU's Tara Grant 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Junior Ashley Finnegan saw her first action of the season at No. 6 singles and responded with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Caitlin Bokulic. Senior Imke Reimers continued her dominant play with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 1 singles over Amanda Hellberg, her fourth match in a row where she has given up one game or less. Freshman Jana Albers improved to 5-0 at No. 3 singles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Casey Miller, while fellow freshmen Amber Chandronnait and Stephanie Evans eached cruised to straight-set victories, capping off the Nebraska victory.

"The thing I'm probably happiest about is our team chemistry," said Jacobson. "When you want to play for your teammates, it makes a big difference in how you play. Our team chemistry to this point in time I believe is as strong as I've seen it in the 17 years I've been here."

Nebraska will hit the courts again on Saturday against Division II foe Central Oklahoma at 11 a.m., the final match in a seven-match homestand to begin the year.

Results
Nebraska 7, Saint Louis 0

Doubles

No. 1 Albers/Reimers (NU) def. Hellberg/Miller (SLU), 8-3

No. 2 Ring/Swarting (NU) def. Grant/McCullagh (SLU), 8-0

No. 3 Chandronnait/Evans (NU) def. Bokulic/McKenna (SLU), 8-1

Singles

No. 1 Imke Reimers (NU) def. Amanda Hellberg (SLU), 6-1, 6-0

No. 2 Wiveca Swarting (NU) def. Tara Grant (SLU), 6-0, 6-0

No. 3 Jana Albers (NU) def. Casey Miller (SLU), 6-1, 6-1

No. 4 Stephanie Evans (NU) def. Rachel McCullagh (SLU), 6-3, 6-3

No. 5 Amber Chandronnait (NU) def. Caitlin McKenna (SLU), 6-1, 6-4

No. 6 Ashley Finnegan (NU) def. Caitlin Bokulic (SLU), 6-2, 6-0