Freshmen lead Women's Tennis past John Carroll 7-2 in OAC opener; Polar Bears also top Malone 7-2 in non-league match

By Tim Glon

Freshman Brittany Miller and Kristin Cellantini each won twice to lead the Ohio Northern women's tennis team to a 7-2 victory at John Carroll in its Ohio Athletic Conference opener Saturday afternoon at the Paramount Tennis Club in Medina.

Northern then travelled to North Canton and won a non-league match at Malone 7-2 Saturday night at the North Canton Racquet Club.

The defending OAC Regular Season champion Polar Bears improve to 9-4 overall and 1-0 in OAC action, while JCU falls to 5-3, 0-1 and MU drops to 7-6.

Against John Carroll, Miller won 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and Cellantini won 6-2, 7-6 at No. 4 singles.

The pair also combined to win 8-2 at No. 2 doubles.

Northern swept the doubles matches to take a quick 3-0 lead.

Junior Christie Gales and sophomore Michelle Tuma won 8-3 at No. 1 doubles and sophomores Lauren Rife and Carly Olmstead won 8-2 at No. 3 doubles.

Sophomore Kelsi Wurm won 7-5, 6-4 at No. 5 singles and senior Kristin Timperman won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 at No. 6 singles for ONU.

Against Malone, Rife and Wurm each won twice to lead ONU.

Rife won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 6 singles, Wurm won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4 singles and the pair combined to win at No. 3 doubles 8-4.

Northern led 2-1 after the double play as Miller and Cellantini also won 8-2 at No. 2 doubles.

ONU then won five of the six singles matches to put the match away.

Tuma won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, Gales won 6-2, 7-6(1) at No. 3 singles and Timperman won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles for ONU.

The Polar Bears will play host to Kenyon on Tuesday.