Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

CCIW Press Release

Sept. 26, 2018 – For the first time this season, a North Central College women's tennis player has earned College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Player of the Week, as Alaina Kanthaphixay takes home the honor this week, released by the conference on Wednesday.

Kanthaphixay opened the week going 2-0 against Carroll University in North Central's 8-1 victory, teaming up with Hannah Hougland at No. 1 doubles to roll past Grace Krueger and Shanna Mogden, 8-1.  In singles play, Kanthaphixay earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Lora Leach at the No. 3 position.

Competing at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Regional over the weekend, Kanthaphixay and Hougland became the first Cardinal duo since 2009 to advance to the round of 16 in doubles play.  The pair opened with a hard fought 9-7 win over the College of Wooster's (Ohio) Sarah Dunn and Shannon Sertz, before taking down Hannah Bradvica and Alexandra Cash of Denison University (Ohio), 8-6.  Ultimately, the duo was eliminated from the tournament by eventual champions Jessica Liu and Madeleine Paolucci of Case Western Reserve University (Ohio), falling 8-2 in the round of 16.

In singles play at the ITA, Kanthaphixay also won her opening round match over Rebecca Shiloff of Oberlin College (Ohio), 6-3, 6-0, before suffering a 6-0, 6-1 defeat at the hands of eventual runner-up Marjorie Antohi of the University of Chicago.

North Central returns to CCIW play this afternoon, welcoming unbeaten Wheaton College to the NCC Tennis Courts with matches slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.