2006 Match Recaps
May 10, Dallas Baptist (NCCAA National Tournament; Greer, SC)
Dallas Baptist rallied from a 2-1 deficit after doubles to eliminate the Lady Jackets in an NCCAA semifinal encounter, 5-3. Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys notched an 8-4 victory at #2 doubles and the #3 duo of Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph tallied an 8-6 win. Cedarville's lone singles point came from #5 Verwys, who bounced back for an 0-6, 6-1, 6-1 decision. [RESULTS]
May 10, Piedmont (NCCAA National Tournament; Greer, SC)
Cedarville completed a perfect 3-0 mark within its NCCAA pool with a 5-0 victory over Piedmont. Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt as well as Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys won their respective doubles matches by identical 8-5 scores. The #3 squad of Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph coasted to an 8-1 win. In singles, it was #1 Kraker (6-0, 6-2) and #4 Workman (2-6, 6-3, 6-3) who closed out the match. The team's 19 victories for the season eclipsed the previous mark of 18 set in both 2002 and 2004. [RESULTS]
May 9, North Greenville (NCCAA National Tournament; Greer, SC)
Cedarville won its second straight match at the NCCAA Nationals by defeating North Greenville, 5-3. The Lady Jackets led 2-1 after doubles. Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys cruised to an 8-1 win at the #2 spot while #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph were 8-5 winners. Dolph had the toughest singles match and rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory at the #6 position. Other wins came from #2 Alisa Rutt (6-3, 6-2) and #3 McCully (6-2, 6-0). [RESULTS]
May 9, Emmanuel (NCCAA National Tournament; Greer, SC)
The Lady Jackets dropped just five games total in the three doubles matches versus Emmanuel to take immediate control to open play at the NCCAA Nationals with a 5-0 win. Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt registered an 8-3 victory at the #1 position. The #2 tandem of Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys as well as #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph posted identical 8-1 decisions. CU completed the victory on singles points by #3 McCully (6-2, 6-2) and #4 Verwys (6-0, 6-3). [RESULTS]
May 5, Tiffin (NAIA Region IX Tournament; Canton, OH)
Tiffin avenged a regular season loss to AMC South Division co-champion Cedarville by pinning a 5-2 setback on the Lady Jackets in the NAIA Region IX final. The Dragons, 15-8 overall, will be making their first-ever appearance at the NAIA Nationals. The Jackets, who drop to 16-4 after having their 10-match winning streak snapped, were seeking their first region title in three years. They picked up a win at #3 doubles by Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph, 8-2. The lone singles point came from #5 Betsy Verwys, 6-4, 6-0. CU held the lead in the two remaining singles matches that were halted after Tiffin clinched the victory. [RESULTS and TOURNAMENT BRACKET]
May 4, Saint Vincent (NAIA Region IX Tournament; Canton, OH)
AMC South Division co-champion Cedarville eliminated North champ Saint Vincent, 7-2, in the NAIA Region IX Tournament to advance to the title match. The Lady Jackets, 16-3 with a 10-match winning streak, faces Tiffin for the championship. The Dragons, who lost to Cedarville 5-4 in the regular season, edged AMC South co-champ Ohio Dominican, 5-4, in the other semifinal. CU's assignment in the semis was much closer than the final score would indicate. The Jackets needed a tiebreaker to claim one of the doubles points and rallied to win three of the singles matches in three sets. In doubles, #2 Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys coasted to an 8-1 decision and #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph won a 9-8 marathon. The only "easy" singles points came from #2 Alisa Rutt (6-0, 6-1) and #6 Dolph (6-3, 6-2). CU dropped the first set in each of the other three victories before rebounding to take the match. Those points came from #1 Jodi Kraker (3-6, 6-3, 6-1), #3 McCully (2-6, 6-2, 11-9), and #5 Verwys (6-7, 6-1, 10-8). The Bearcats end the season at 9-6. [RESULTS]
May 3, Geneva (NAIA Region IX Tournament; Canton, OH)
The AMC South Division co-champion Lady Jackets bounced Geneva from the NAIA Region IX Tournament, 7-2, for their ninth consecutive victory. The outcome sets up a semifinal match with AMC North champion Saint Vincent. Cedarville, 15-3 overall, blew out to a 3-0 advantage after dominating the doubles competition by losing just two games total. Pairing up for the wins were #1 Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt, 8-1; #2 Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys, 8-1; and #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph, 8-0. The Jackets clinched the match with four wins in singles which was paced by #1 Kraker, 6-0, 6-4. Others to pick up points were #2 McCully (6-1, 6-2), #3 Workman (6-3, 7-5), and #6 Stacey Reeder (6-0, 6-4). Geneva ends the season 4-7. [RESULTS]
April 29, HUNTINGTON
Cedarville, who claimed a piece of the AMC South Division title a day earlier, continued the momentum with a 6-3 non-conference win over Huntington in the regular season finale. The Lady Jackets, 14-3 overall, carry an eight-match winning streak into the NAIA Region IX Tournament. Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys were 8-5 winners at #2 doubles while #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph posted an 8-3 victory. In singles, #1 Jodi Kraker led the way with a 6-4, 6-3 decision. Other points came from #3 McCully (7-6, 6-3), #4 Workman (6-3, 6-2), and #5 Verwys (6-0, 6-1). [RESULTS]
April 28, at Walsh
The Lady Jackets clinched a share of the American Mideast Conference South Division championship with a 5-4 victory at Walsh. It was the seventh consecutive win for Cedarville, 13-3 overall and 5-1 AMC, who also gets an automatic berth to the NAIA Region IX Tournament. The Jackets took immediate command by sweeping the three doubles matches. The #1 tandem of Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt held on for a 9-7 decision; #2 Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys recorded an 8-5 win; and #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph were good for an 8-6 victory. CU secured the match with a pair of singles wins. Rutt claimed the fifth and deciding point at #2 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. The other came from #3 McCully, 6-2, 6-3. [RESULTS]
April 27, CENTRAL STATE
Cedarville won its sixth match in a row with a 9-0 non-conference decision over Greene County rival Central State. Lady Jacket head coach Pam Johnson rested her top five singles players and Olivia Dolph moved up to the top spot to post a 6-0, 6-0 win. Elsewhere, #2 Stacey Reeder was a 6-0, 6-2 winner and #3 Anna Strayhorn saw her first intercollegiate singles action and responded with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Other winners were Sarah Andersen, Grace Jones, and Jade Burley. Cedarville, 12-3 overall, won all three doubles matched by an 8-0 count. [RESULTS]
April 25, TIFFIN (Springfield Racquet Club)
The Lady Jackets threw the AMC South Division standings into a four-way tie for first place with a 5-4 victory over previously unbeaten Tiffin. The match was played indoors at the Springfield Racquet Club. The two teams opened with singles play and split the six matches. Betsy Verwys rallied for a 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 victory at the #5 position. Cedarville's other wins came from #2 Alisa Rutt, 6-3, 6-3; and #3 Laura McCully, 6-1, 6-0. Rutt paired up with Jodi Kraker for an 8-6 win at #1 doubles. The Jackets, 11-3 overall and 3-1 AMC, completed their fifth consecutive victory when #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph were 8-5 winners. Tiffin drops to 12-7 and 3-1 AMC. [RESULTS]
April 22, at Bethel
Cedarville swept the doubles and then split the six singles matches for a 6-3 non-conference victory at Bethel. The Lady Jackets, 10-3 overall, have won four consecutive matches. Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt led the doubles charge which featured three close matches by winning, 8-6. The #2 squad of Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys were 8-4 victors while #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph hung on for an 8-6 decision. Kraker posted an impressive 6-1, 6-1 victory at #1 singles. Rutt bounced back at the #2 spot for a 2-6, 7-5, 10-7 win. The other point came from #5 Verwys, 6-1, 6-3. [RESULTS]
April 21, at Grace
The Lady Jackets opened their two-match swing in Indiana with an 8-1 non-conference victory at Grace. Cedarville took a 2-1 advantage with doubles victories from #2 Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys, 8-1; and from #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph, 8-2. The Jackets, 9-3 overall, swept through the six singles matches with #4 Workman receiving the only challenge before prevailing, 6-3, 3-6, 10-4. Other singles winners were #1 Jodi Kraker (6-1, 6-1), #2 Alisa Rutt (6-1, 6-3), #3 McCully (6-0, 6-0), #5 Verwys (6-0, 6-0), and #6 Dolph (6-2, 6-1). [RESULTS]
April 21, at Wittenberg
The bottom of the order picked up the slack to carry the Lady Jackets to a 5-4 non-conference victory at Wittenberg. It was the fourth win in the last five matches for Cedarville, 8-3 overall. The lone doubles point came from the #3 team of Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph by an 8-6 count. CU won four of the six singles matches including the bottom three positions. Dolph came up with a three-set victory at the #6 spot, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Other winners were #2 Alisa Rutt (6-0, 6-1), #4 Workman (6-4, 7-6), and #5 Betsy Verwys (6-0, 6-3). The host Tigers fell to 8-8. [RESULTS]
April 18, at Shawnee State
The Lady Jackets cruised to a 9-0 victory at Shawnee State in an American Mideast Conference South Division match. Cedarville, 7-3 overall and 2-1 AMC, dominated the doubles by winning all but three games. Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt improved to 5-0 at the #1 spot with an 8-2 victory. The #2 tandem of Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys won all eight games while #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph were 8-1 winners. The most interesting singles decision came from #1 Kraker, who won a 6-1, 2-6, 15-13 marathon. The other five matches were decided in straight sets. [RESULTS]
April 11, OHIO DOMINICAN
Ohio Dominican won four singles matches and picked up a crucial AMC South Division victory at Cedarville, 5-4. The Lady Jackets, 6-3 overall and 1-1 AMC, took a 2-1 lead after doubles. Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt posted an 8-4 victory at the #1 position while #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph secured an 8-2 decision. CU's only singles wins came from #2 Rutt (7-5, 6-3) and #5 Betsy Verwys (6-0, 6-4). The Panthers, 6-4 and 1-1 AMC, won the other four singles matches in straight sets. [RESULTS and PHOTO GALLERY]
April 10, NORTHERN KENTUCKY
The Lady Jackets beat an NCAA Division II opponent for the second time in three days with a 6-3 decision over Northern Kentucky. Cedarville, 6-2 overall, won at Bellarmine on Saturday. The two teams played singles first and CU responded with four straight-set victories. Securing the points were #1 Jodi Kraker (6-2, 6-0), #2 Alisa Rutt (6-2, 6-4), #4 Melinda Workman (6-3, 6-4), and #5 Betsy Verwys (6-3, 6-2). In doubles, the #1 tandem of Kraker and Rutt rolled to an 8-3 win while #3 Workman and Olivia Dolph posted an 8-2 victory. NKU drops to 7-12. [RESULTS and PHOTO GALLERY]
April 8, at Bellarmine
Cedarville swept the three doubles matches at NCAA Division II Bellarmine and went on to a 7-2 non-conference victory. The #1 duo of Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt rolled to an 8-0 decision, #2 Laura McCully and Betsy Verwys won 8-2, and #3 Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph won by forfeit. Kraker rallied for a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory at #1 singles and #2 Rutt did the same by scores of 6-7, 6-3, 6-0. Workman posted a 7-6, 6-2 win at the #4 spot and #6 Dolph earned a point by forfeit. Cedarville is 5-2 overall. [RESULTS]
April 7, at Indiana-Southeast
NAIA No. 25 Indiana-Southeast posted a 6-3 non-conference victory over the Lady Jackets. Cedarville grabbed one doubles point when the #1 tandem of Jodi Kraker and Alisa Rutt posted an 8-4 win. In singles, #4 Melinda Workman was a 6-1, 6-7, 11-9 winner and #5 Betsy Verwys came out on top 6-4, 3-6, 10-7. [RESULTS]
April 4, GEORGETOWN
Georgetown was too much for Cedarville as the Tigers dealt the hosts their first loss of the season, 8-1, in a non-conference match. The two teams opened with singles in conditions that featured temperatures in the 50's with 25-35 mph winds. The only point in the match for the Lady Jackets, 4-1 overall, came at #4 singles where Melinda Workman posted a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Georgetown improves to 12-3. [RESULTS]
April 1, at Malone
The Lady Jackets began American Mideast Conference South Division play with a 7-2 victory at Malone. Cedarville, 4-0, is unbeaten through its opening four matches for the first time in three years. The Jackets swept the three doubles matches. Alisa Rutt and Betsy Verwys were 8-3 winners at the #1 spot. Other points came from Jodi Kraker and Laura McCully, 8-6; and Melinda Workman and Olivia Dolph, 8-5. Kraker, Rutt, Workman, and Verwys picked up the points in singles. [RESULTS]
March 23, WILMINGTON (Springfield Racquet Club)
Cedarville remained unbeaten with a convincing 9-0 non-conference victory over Wilmington. The match was played indoors at the Springfield Racquet Club. The two teams opened with the singles competition as Jodi Kraker, Alisa Rutt, Laura McCully, Betsy Verwys, and Melinda Workman all won in straight sets in positions 1 through 5. Stacey Reeder bounced back after dropping the first set at the #6 spot to take the next two. The Lady Jackets rolled in doubles play by dropping just five games total. [RESULTS]
March 13, at Earlham
The Lady Jackets bounced back from an early deficit to defeat Earlham, 6-3, in a non-conference match. Cedarville trailed 2-1 coming out of doubles with the lone point coming from the #2 tandem of Alisa Rutt and Melinda Workman by an 8-4 count. Jodi Kraker paced the surge in singles with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 win at the #1 position. CU's other four points all came in straight sets with Rutt, Betsy Verwys, Workman, and Stacey Reeder all posting victories. [RESULTS]
March 10, at Judson (Ala.)
Cedarville opened the 2006 women's tennis season with a convincing 8-1 victory at Judson. The Jackets dropped just one game total in doubles with wins coming from the pairings of Jodi Kraker and Laura McCully; Alisa Rutt and Melinda Workman; and Anna Strayhorn and Stacey Reeder. CU proceeded to take five of the six singles matches with McCully, Olivia Dolph, Jade Burley, Sarah Andersen, and Reeder all earning points. [RESULTS]
