PICTURED ABOVE: Lauren Schlabach rallied to earn a victory for the Thunder at number-three singles.

Hanover Park, Ill. - The Wheaton women's tennis team earned a 6-3 victory against Coe College on Saturday night in a battle of regionally-ranked teams. Coe (11-1) entered tonight's match ranked 12th in the most recent ITA Division III Central Region rankings and Wheaton is 17th in the same rankings.

Five of Wheaton's six wins came in singles competition tonight. Senior Sarah Ray was a 6-3, 6-0 victor at number-one singles and Julie Buursma won a 6-2, 6-0 decision at number-two singles. Lauren Schlabach earned a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory at number-three singles and Emily Jones was a 6-1, 6-4 winner at number-four singles. Wheaton's fifth singles victory went to Erika Nelson in a 6-4, 6-3 victory at number-five singles. Wheaton's number-one doubles team of Ray and Buursma earned an 8-1 victory for the hosts.

Wheaton improves to 9-2 on the year with tonight's victory. The Thunder will travel to Kalamazoo College on March 1 for an 11 AM (EST) match with the Hornets.

WHEATON COLLEGE 6, COE COLLEGE 3
Singles competition
1. Ray, Sarah (WHEATON) def. Tai Lucero (COEW) 6-3, 6-0
2. Buursma, Julie (WHEATON) def. Amy Sebastian (COEW) 6-2, 6-0
3. Schlabach, Lauren (WHEATON) def. Jordan Ferree (COEW) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Jones, Emily (WHEATON) def. Laura Birky (COEW) 6-1, 6-4
5. Nelson, Erika (WHEATON) def. Elizabeth Hoffmann (COEW) 6-4, 6-3
6. Diannah Watson (COEW) def. Kaiser, Katherine (WHEATON) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Ray, Sarah/Buursma, Julie (WHEATON) def. Tai Lucero/Jordan Ferree (COEW) 8-1
2. Laura Birky/Diannah Watson (COEW) def. Schlabach, Lauren/Nelson, Erika (WHEATON) 8-6
3. Tamara Washington/Sarah Lasecki (COEW) def. Jones, Emily/Parrish, Taylor (WHEATON) 8-6