APPLETON, Wis.- The UW-Oshkosh tennis team won its first dual meet of the season on Tuesday (September 2), defeating Lawrence University, 6-1, in Appleton. The Titans highlighted the meet by winning all three doubles matches and took five of the six singles flights.
 
UW-Oshkosh (1-1) increased its record against the Vikings (0-1) to 39-11 since the programs first met in 1974 and has taken each of the four matchups since head coach Steve Francour return to his alma mater for his second stint coaching the Titans in 2022.
 
In the No. 1 doubles match, Mana Usui (Franklin/Franklin) and Kayla Gibbs (Muskego/Muskego) defeated Anna Vanden Acker and Logan Kane, 6-4. Olivia Pethan (Oshkosh/Fox Valley Lutheran) and Breanne Schultz (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) beat Clara Hills and Tess McGlenn, 6-3, in the No. 2 doubles match. Completing the doubles sweep in the No. 3 doubles match were Brianna Owens (Appleton/Kimberly) and Sarah Schaeffer (Rock Springs/Reedsburg). The duo defeated Evie Vacek and Madelena Priest in a 6-1 victory.
 
Olivia Pethan (Oshkosh/Fox Valley Lutheran) fell just short in the No. 1 singles match, losing to Clara Hills of Lawrence. After losing the first set 4-6, Pethan came back in the second, winning 6-2 to tie the set score at 1-1, however, Hills took the third set, 1-0, in a 10-7 finish. Mana Usui (Franklin/Franklin) defeated Vanden Acker in both sets for the sweep in the No. 2 singles match. She won the sets 6-2 and 7-5. Kayla Gibbs (Muskego/Muskego) also won her match in two sets, defeating Kane in the No. 3 singles match, 6-4, 6-1.
 
Brianna Owens (Appleton/Kimberly) won her No. 4 singles match in a comeback victory against Tess McGlenn. After falling 3-6 in the first set, she came back to win the second, 6-1. Owens then completed the comeback, winning the third set, 1-0, in a 12-10 finish. Sarah Schaeffer (Rock Springs/Reedsburg) (No. 5 singles) and Cate Gerl (Joliet, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) (No. 6 singles) both won their swept their individual matches in the first two sets. Schaeffer defeated Sky Shinohara of Lawrence, 6-1 and 6-3 and Gerl defeated Rachael Pofahl in a dominant 6-1 score in both sets to secure her win.
 
The Titans (1-1) will continue nonconference action later this week, as they host Ripon College (0-1) on Friday (September 5) at 4:30 p.m. at the Kolf Sports Center Outdoor Tennis Courts. Oshkosh owns a 36-9 all-time record against the Redhawks including its current 18-match winnings streak that dates back to 2002.