Lynn Kelly notches 100th career win as Women's Tennis rallies for tough 6-3 victory over Carthage (Wis.), falls in tight 5-4 match to NCAA Division II foe Minnesota State-Moorhead

By Tim Glon

ORLANDO, Fla. — Senior Lynn Kelly (Mason) joined the 100-Win Club and the Ohio Northern women's tennis team rallied for a solid 6-3 victory over Carthage (Wis.) Monday evening and dropped a tight 5-4 decision to NCAA Division II foe Minnesota State-Moorhead on Monday morning at the USTA National Tennis Campus.

The Polar Bears improve to 6-2, while the Lady Reds fall to 7-3 and the Dragons improve to 7-1.

ONU trailed Carthage 2-1 after doubles play, but rallied to win five of the six singles matches and take the match 6-3.

Against MSMU, the two teams split the six singles matches to head into doubles play tied at 3-3.

But the Dragons won doubles courts 1 and 3 to take the match 5-4.

Kelly won four times on the day and is now 100-29 in her four-year career at ONU.

She won at No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-3 and combined with sophomore Mackenzie Wills (Ada) to win 8-3 at No. 2 doubles against MSMU and won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and 8-2 at No. 1 doubles with Ochsenhirt at No. 1 doubles.

"We battled two very good teams today," ONU head coach Scott Wills said. "It was a total team effort in both matches. I was proud of the way we fought against a good NCAA Division II opponent, and of how we fought back from a deficit to win against a quality Carthage team. Lynn also reached an impressive milestone and was one of many on our team that played outstanding tennis today."

Junior Ashley Ochsenhirt (Birmingham, Ala./Briarwood Christian) won 7-6(5), 6-1 at No. 1 singles against MSMU and won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles against CC to finish the day 4-0.

Sophomore Katie Curry (Oxford/Talawanda) won 6-4, 6-4 against the Lady Reds and 6-2, 7-5 at No. 5 singles for ONU against the Dragons.

Sophomore Kaleigh Cummins (Springfield/Northeastern) won 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles and Wills won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 4 singles against CC.

The Polar Bears will return to action on Tuesday with a 12:30 pm match against St. Vincent (Pa.) at Oak Street Park in Kissimmee, Fla.