By Andrew Korba
The Ohio Northern women's tennis team began their season with an 8-1 victory over St. Francis (Ind.) and 9-0 win over area foe Defiance Thursday afternoon at the University Courts.
The Polar Bears are now 2-0 on the season.
St. Francis falls to 3-2 on the year while Defiance is now 0-1.
Against St. Francis, Northern started the match by sweeping all three doubles courts.
The tandem of senior Christie Gales and junior Michelle Tuma erased 4-0 and 6-2 deficits to pull out a thrilling 9-7 win at No. 1 doubles.
Freshman Christina Corbean and Meghan Letizia were victorious at No. 2 doubles by a 8-0 margin.
Juniors Carly Olmstead and Lauren Rife won by a 8-3 score at No. 3 doubles.
Northern continued to roll in singles play.
Leitizia posted a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 3 singles while sophomore Brittany Miller won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5 singles.
Tuma won 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 singles, sophomore Kristin Cellentani was victorious at No. 4 singles by a 6-1, 6-3 score and Olmstead won 6-4, 6-0 at No. 6 singles.
Against Defiance, Northern swept all three doubles courts losing two games in the process.
Corbean and Letizia teamed up for an 8-1 win at No. 3 doubles.
Miller and Cellantani won 8-0 at No. 1 doubles while Tuma and Gales won 8-0 at No. 2 doubles.
ONU continued to cruise in singles play.
Tuma won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles.
Corbean, Letizia and Miller won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 singles respectively.
Rife won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5 singles while Gales plicked up a 6-0, 1-0 (retired) win.
Ohio Northern will be in action again when they play a doubleheader at Bluffton on Saturday. The Polar Bears will face Rose-Hulman (Ind.) first at 3 pm followed by Bluffton at 6 pm.
