PLAINFIELD, Ill. – The Loras College women's tennis team opened up its 2023 campaign by splitting a pair of matches at the North Central Invitational.

The Duhawks (1-1) took down the Illinois Institute of Technology, 8-1, in the first match of the day before falling to the host, North Central, 0-9 in the afternoon finale.

Loras 8, Illinois Tech 1

In doubles play against the Scarlett Hawks, Mary Breitbach and Dorothy Deans defeated Sofia Martinez and Paige Geiger, 8-2, in the No. 1 spot, while Caroline Hutchinson and Leia Papanicholas earned an 8-5 win over Carlotta Canovas and Hannah Markiewicz at No.2. Clair Moore and Ellie Kalina scored the final doubles victory with an 8-1 win over Pilar Torres-Duce and Smrithi Shreedhar to put the Duhawks ahead 3-0 heading into singles play.

Breitbach led the way at No. 1 singles with a 6-0 and 6-1 defeat of Martinez, while Hutchinson followed suit with a 6-2 and 6-1 win over Geiger at No.2 singles. Deans fell 4-6 and 5-7 at No. 3 singles, but a 6-0 sweep by Moore at No. 4 singles kept the Duhawks ahead 6-1. Papanicholas and Kalina earned the win in the final two singles matches with scores of 6-1, 6-2 and 6-1, 6- 0 respectively.

North Central 9, Loras 0

Against the Cardinals, Breitbach and Deans came up short in No.1 doubles falling 5-8 to Anastasia Bozovic and Kensington Payne. Both Hutchinson and Papanicholas at No. 2 doubles and Kalina and Jessie Yelaska at No. 3 fell 8-1 in their respective sets.

Deans contended at No. 3 singles, but was unable to defeat Kate Herlihy falling 6-7 and 0-6.

Loras looks forward to its home-opener against Monmouth College on Friday, Sept. 1 at 5:00 p.m. at Tucker Tennis Courts.