Fort Wayne, Ind. (Feb. 4, 2007) ???C Oakland???s women???s tennis team saw its first action of the spring season this weekend, taking on Eastern Illinois and IPFW in Fort Wayne. In the first match against Eastern Illinois it was the Panthers that came out on top, taking a 6-1 win over the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland then fell in a close one to host IPFW, falling by a 4-3 score. Senior Jessica Erickson (Port Huron, Mich.) was part of three wins over the weekend for OU. Against Eastern Illinois, Oakland took a hard fought match at No. 3 doubles, with the duo of Erickson and Gabrielle Gogas (Sarnia, Ont.) taking a 9-8 win. The Golden Grizzlies could not turn that win into a point, however, as Eastern Illinois won the other two doubles matches by identical 8-1 scores to take the point. All of the singles matches were decided in straight sets, with the only OU win coming at No. 6 singles where Erickson scored a 6-0, 6-1 victory. Amanda Scheer (Sarnia, Ont.) came the closest in the other matches to picking up a win for OU, dropping a 6-4, 6-2 decision in her No. 3 match. Oakland fared better against host IPFW, starting out by sweeping the doubles matches to take the first point against the Mastodons. Erickson/Googas at No. 3 and Scheer/Amanda Maxfield (Commerce Twp., Mich.) at No. 2 clinched the point with 8-3 and 8-5 wins for OU. The Golden Grizzlies came up with the sweep when the No. 1 team of Teuta and Lisa Lulgjuraj (Warren, Mich.) came up with a close 9-7 victory. In singles action it was Gogas picking up a straight sets win at No. 6 and Teuta Lulgjuraj taking a hard-fought three set match at No. 1 to take points for OU. IPFW was able to take the other matches in straight sets to clinch the win for the Mastodons.

Eastern Illinois 6, Oakland 1Singles1. Sandra Sasidharan (EIU) def. Teuta Lulgjuraj (OU); 6-0, 6-02. Natalie Martin (EIU) def. Lisa Lulgjuraj (OU); 6-0, 6-13. Madina Mambetova (EIU) def. Amanda Scheer (OU); 6-4, 6-24. Hayley Homburg (EIU) def. Michelle Maxfield (OU); 6-1, 6-35. Stephanie Harmazy (EIU) def. Gabrielle Gogas (OU); 6-5, 6-06. Jessica Erickson (OU) def. Sam Lininger (EIU), 6-0, 6-1Doubles1. Sasidharan/Mambetova (EIU) def. Lulgjuraj/Lulgjuraj (OU); 8-12. Martin/Homburg (EIU) def. Scheer/Maxfield (OU); 8-13. Erickson/Gogas (OU) def. Harmazy/Lininger (EIU); 9-8IPFW 4, Oakland 3Singles1. Teuta Lulgjuraj (OU) def. Sachi Janek (IPFW); 7-5, 0-6, 6-42. Ashley Coulson (IPFW) def. Lisa Lulgjuraj (OU); 6-0, 6-43. Stacy Lish (IPFW) def. Amanda Sheer (OU); 6-0, 6-24. Hanna Hager (IPFW) def. Michelle Maxfield (OU); 6-4, 6-45. Lisa Bartelheim (IPFW) def. Jessica Erickson (OU); 6-4, 6-36. Gabrielle Gogas (OU) def. Mollee Carpenter (IPFW); 6-3, 6-2Doubles1. Lulgjuraj/Lulgjuraj (OU) def. Coulson/Lish (IPFW); 9-72. Sheer/Maxfield (OU) def. Janek/Alexa Rang (IPFW); 8-33. Erickson/Gogas (OU) def. Hager/Bartelheim (IPFW); 8-5