The UW-Whitewater women's tennis team, ranked twenty-second in the national rankings, split a pair of matches with ranked opponents Friday in the first day of competition at the Midwest Invitational in Madison.  UW-W lost to number thirteen Washington University in Saint Louis 5-4, and came back with a 7-2 win over Denison University, the seventeenth ranked team.

Washington University 5, UW-Whitewater 4
Singles
#1 - Natalie Tinger (WU) def. Kalla Schaefer (Madison/Madison Memorial) (WW) 6-3, 7-5
#2 - Sydney Divelbiss (Middleton/Middleton) (WW) def. Theresa Petraskova (WU) 6-3, 6-4
#3 - Kate Klein (WU) def. Annie Smith (Algonquin, IL/H.D. Jacobs) (WW) 6-1, 6-1
#4 - Paige Madara (WU) def. Alexandra Bayliss (Sheboygan/North) (WW) 6-3, 6-3
#5 - Megan Kasten (Verona/Verona) (WW) def. Betsy Edershile (WU) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7
#6 - Corinne Rauck (WU) def. Lauren Aguilar (Gurnee, IL/Carmel Catholic ) (WW) 3-6, 7-6(2), 10-7
Doubles
#1 - Schaefer/Bayliss (WW) def. Klein/Rauck (WU) 8-4
#2 - Divelbiss/Smith (WW) def. Petraskova/Tingir (WU) 8-3
#3 - Madara/Edershile (WU) def. Kasten/Aguilar (WW) 8-3

UW-Whitewater 7, Denison University 2
Singles
#1 - Schaefer (WW) def. Sarah Short (DU) 7-5, 6-3
#2 - Alex Marcell (DU) def. Divelbiss (WW) 6-2, 6-2
#3 - Smith (WW) def. Lilianna Broussalian (DU) 3-6, 7-5, 10-3
#4 - Bayliss (WW) def. Kate Westenberger (DU) 2-6, 6-4, 10-8
#5 - Kasten (WW) def. Heather Abzug (DU) 6-2, 6-3
#6 - Jackie Vitale (Roselle, IL/Lake Park) (WW) def. Courtney Steiner (DU) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
#1 - Short/Marcell (DU) def. Schaefer/Bayliss (WW) 8-4
#2 - Divelbiss/Smith (WW) def. Westenberger/Abzug (DU) 8-4
#3 - Kasten/Aguilar (WW) def. Broussalian/Steiner (DU) 9-7 

With two wins Friday Megan Kasten (Verona/Verona) raised her season record to 22-2, and the duo of Annie Smith (Algonquin, IL/H.D. Jacobs) and Sydney Divelbiss (Middleton/Middleton) improved to 19-3.

The Midwest Invitational brings the top nine Division III teams in the upper midwest together.  Although not a qualifier, the results have an impact on consideration for a NCAA III tournament berth and seeds in that tourney.

UW-Whitewater, 15-4, will continue to compete Saturday in the Midwest Invitational at the Nielson Tennis Stadium in Madison at 11:30 and 3 pm with opponents yet to be determined.

For additional information:  UW-W tennis coordinator Frank Barnes