MANKATO, Minn. – The Northwestern College women's team evened its season score on Tuesday with an 8-1 victory over Bethany Lutheran College. The win improved the Eagles to a 5-5 mark overall in 2013 and marked the second time in eight days that NWC beat the Vikings.

Match Results

The Eagles' three doubles teams kicked off the match with consecutive wins, starting with the No. 1 pair of Megan Johnson (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) and Kelly Johnson (Annandale, Minn./Annandale) defeating Bethany Lutheran's Rebecca Kopacek and Marissa Teams 8-0. Rachel Bostrom (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) and Rachel Smith (St. Cloud, Minn./Bemidji) followed suit as they beat Rebecca Grove and Rebecca Neumann 8-4 in the No. 2 doubles match, while Karin Smith (St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo) and Autumn Kampman (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock) helped NWC leap out to a 3-0 advantage in team play with an 8-4 doubles win over Anna Wiechmann and Kasarah Smart at No. 3.

Megan Johnson (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) didn't need much time in her 6-2, 6-0 defeat of Kopacek to start singles play in the No. 1 spot. Kelly Johnson (Annandale, Minn./Annandale) also got a 6-0 sweep in her second set at No. 2 singles, adding to her 6-3 first set win against Teems.

The Smith sisters of Rachel and Karin each held their Bethany Lutheran opponents to just three games in two sets. Rachel defeated Ellen Tommerdahl 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot while Karin handed Neumann a 6-2, 6-1 loss at No. 5 singles. Aubree Else (Oskaloosa, Iowa/Pella Christian) then finished the day with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 win against Ashley Stahl.

Northwestern's win bumped the Eagles up to 2-1 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play. Next up on the NWC schedule is a home match against the University of Minnesota Morris on Thursday, April 4. That match will start at 12 p.m. at Lifetime Fitness in Fridley.