LOCKPORT, Ill.--- The University of St. Francis women's tennis team dropped its spring season opener, but not before challenging NCAA I Western Illinois University in a 7-0 decision at Challenge Fitness Indoor Courts on Sunday.
 

Western Illinois jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after claiming 6-3, 6-4 and 6-1 victories in its three doubles contests. Denisse Lizano (SO/Quito, Ecuador) and newcomer Kiana Sikich (FR/Mokena, Ill.) came the closest to knocking off the Leathernecks, falling 6-4 in the No.2 slot. 
 

Lizano and Nikkie Christiansen (JR/Rockford, Ill.) also produced hard-fought battles in singles play with both individuals going to a tie-breaker in the first set before falling.  Lizano eventually dropped a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 decision at No.2, while Christiansen, who is No.48 in the ITA NAIA National Singles rankings, came up on the short end of a 7-6 (9-7), 7-5 contest at No.3.
 

The other four singles matches saw Sikich, Maria Kuzminskaya (JR/Saint Petersburg, Russia), Yashleen Kheterpal (SR/Bhilai, India), and Alyssa Larsen (SR/Morris, Ill.) all fall in the minimum two sets with only Kheterpal winning more than two games in any one set.
 

St. Francis (0-1) travels to Park Forest on Friday (Feb. 19) to take on Purdue University Northwest. The contest is scheduled to begin at 1 pm at the Park Forest Tennis Club.