LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University women's tennis team opened Great Lakes Valley Conference play here Saturday afternoon suffering a 5-0 setback to the University of Illinois-Springfield at the McKendree Tennis Courts on the McKendree campus.
 
With the setback, McKendree fall to 5-6 overall and 0-1 in the GLVC, while UIS improves to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in the league.
 
Saturday's match, which came less than 24 hours after the Bearcats picked up a 7-0 win on Friday at Principia College, began with doubles and the Prairie Stars picked up the doubles point thanks to winning two of three doubles matches.
 
UIS would earn wins in doubles at both the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, while the Bearcats prevented a sweep thanks to a 6-1 win at the No. 1 spot by junior Viola Cipriani (Arezzo, Italy/Liceo Classico Francesco Petrarca) and sophomore Camilla Fonseca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Colegio Saber). Cipriani and Fonseca won their second straight doubles match and improved their record to 7-4 on the season.
 
Following doubles play, the teams would play singles and UIS was able to wrap up the match following wins at No. 1, No., No. 3 and No. 4 singles. The singles matches at No. 5 and No. 6 were not finished as the match was stopped after UIS clinched the win.
 
In singles action, Cipriani fell 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 1 spot to Sina Skjelstad, while Fonseca fell 6-3, 7-6 at the No. 2 spot to Carmen Llopis Fabra.
 
The fourth singles point by UIS came at the No. 3 spot as junior Mariana Caicedo Mora (Cucuta, Colombia/American International School of Mallorca) fell 6-1, 6-1 to Rian Hsu.
 
UIS' fifth and final point came at the No. 4 spot as Franca Bucco defeated sophomore Rhyan Cook (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North), 6-2, 6-3.
 
McKendree will play its third match in three days on Sunday, April 3 as they host Webster University for a 1 p.m. Alumni Day match at Triad High School in Troy, Ill.