CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Western Michigan women's tennis team opened the ITA Midwest Regional at the University of Illinois on Thursday, with Ayana Yaguchi, Audrey Smitek and Marielou Badouin winning opening matches.
Yaguchi defeated Northern Illinois' Malika Kabdesh 0-6, 6-1, 6-1 to advance to the second round of the qualifying draw. She was then pitted against Erica Jessel from Northwestern, falling to Jessel 4-6, 3-6. Smitek opened with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Illinois State's Sophie Marie Lowe before being bested by Wisconsin's Ellison Reynoldson, 4-6, 2-6.
Baudouin defeated Eastern Michigan's Regina Mendez 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, but fell later to Nataly Miroslava Ninova from NIU in three sets, 6-4, 3-7, 5-7.