The Forester women's tennis team started Midwest Conference play on Saturday with 7-0 victories over visiting Illinois College and Monmouth College.

It was a long day that began indoors at 8:00 a.m. due to storms in the area. With just one court available at the Racquet Club of Lake Bluff, junior Sofia Strupovets and sophomore Lilly Dockal gave the Foresters the early lead with a 7-5 triumph at #1 doubles. Freshman Anya Mookencherry and sophomore Avelynn Wen secured the doubles point with a 6-2 win at #2 and juniors Kate Feist and Anika Kinnear prevailed by the same score at #3.

Strupovets closed out the indoor portion of the day by taking both sets 6-2 at #1 singles. After the teams moved to the outdoor courts on campus, Mookencherry finished off a 6-3, 6-1 victory at #3 just before Dockall clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-2 win at #2. Wen came out on top 6-4, 6-2 at #4, Feist defeated the Lady Blues' #5 player 6-1 in both sets, and Kinnear outlasted her counterpart at #6 6-1, 2-6, (10-7).

There was another close score atop the doubles lineup in the second match but a 7-6 (10-8) victory by Strupovets and Dockal gave the Foresters another sweep during that part of the contest. Monmouth as unable to take even a game against the Mookencherry and Wen at #2 or Feist and Kinnear at #3.

Mookencherry rolled 6-0, 6-1 at #4 and Feist took both sets 6-1 at #4. The clincher was a 6-2, 6-2 win for Strupovets at #1. Dockal's 6-3, 7-5 triumph at #2 was the closest of the singles matches and senior Olivia Pandazi and sophomore Mara Shere posted more convincing 6-0, 6-1 victories at #5 and #6, respectively.

Lake Forest improved to 3-1 on the season while Illinois College fell to 4-4 and Monmouth to 0-5.

The Foresters will play a non-conference match at Milwaukee School of Engineering on Wednesday before traveling to St. Louis for next weekend's Intercollegiate Tennis Association Region Tournament.