Wheaton Captures CCIW Title in Women’s Tennis

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The 2006 CCIW Women’s Tennis Championships came down to the final match of the tournament at No. 1 doubles Saturday. With both Carthage and Wheaton tied for the team lead, the Wheaton duo of Jordan Hook and Karly Olson topped Carthage’s Amanda Sta. Romana and Elizca Buys (3-6, 6-4, 10-5) to win the Thunder’s second straight conference title and 12th in school history.

Wheaton won the team title with a score of 69, while Carthage placed second with 66 points respectively. Illinois Wesleyan (35), Augustana (28), Elmhurst (15), Millikin (6) and North Central (6) rounded out the scoring for the championship.

By placing in the top four, Wheaton, Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan and Augustana advanced to the CCIW Automatic Qualifier Tournament to be held next April, which is a four-team tournament with the winner earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA’s.

Wheaton took home five individual titles on the day, including No. 1, 5 and 6 singles, as well as No. 3 doubles and the aforementioned No. 1 doubles. Carthage won four individual titles, including No. 2, 3 and 4 singles, as well as No. 2 doubles. Hook, by virtue of winning the No. 1 singles title over Sta. Romana (6-1, 6-0), took home player of the year honors.

At No. 2 singles, Buys topped Wheaton’s Karly Olson 6-4, 7-6 (13-11), while at No. 3 singles, Kristin Minkowski of Carthage beat Shannon Hale of Wheaton 6-3, 6-1. The No. 4 singles match saw Gina Klein of Carthage beat Brooke Parrish of Wheaton 6-2, 6-1, while at No. 5 singles, Brittney Dunn of Wheaton beat Taylor Gustafson of Carthage 6-7, 6-4, 6-1. At No. 6 singles, Wheaton’s Jill Casserly topped Carthage’s Brooke Braastad 6-1, 6-2.

In the No. 2 doubles match, Minkowski and Klein beat Parrish and Kayli Edwards 6-1, 6-1, while Hale and Dunn took home the title at No. 3 doubles with a 4-6, 6-1, 10-5 win over Gustafson and Braastad.