Contact: Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
WAUKESHA, WIS. (Sept. 5, 2026) – The North Central women's tennis team began its 2026-27 campaign on Saturday morning in Waukesha, Wisconsin, taking on Carroll University. The Cardinals fell to the Pioneers 5-2, snapping an 11-match College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin regular-season winning streak.
Carroll won the doubles point, thanks to wins in the number one and number three slots. Meghan McSweeney and Berkley Klarich lost 6-1 in the top doubles spot, while Alexandra Zaskowski and Hannah Sams lost 6-0 in the number three slot. The number two doubles contest was finished later in the match after the Pioneers clinched the point: a 6-3 win for Carroll over Kate Herlihy and Anais Gerard.
The first of two points for the Cardinals came from Anais Gerard in the number four singles slot. Gerard won 12 of the 13 games played in her match, winning 6-0, 6-1 in straight sets.
The Cardinals' other point came from Zaskowski in the number five singles spot in the lineup. She lost the opening set 6-4, but rattled off 6-3, 6-4 victories to win the point.
Klarich made her singles debut in the number one spot for coach Joey Leto. After falling in the first set 7-5, Klarich fought back for a commanding 6-2 victory to force a "race to 10" tiebreaker, which she lost 10-5.
Kate Herlihy also sent her match to three sets, playing out of the number two spot. She commanded the pace of play in the first set, winning 6-1, but was unable to close it out, losing a tight second set 7-6 and falling in the third 6-3.
Heintz made her collegiate debut at the number six slot. She lost the first set 6-2 and battled hard in the second, but came up just short, losing 7-5. McSweeney debuted this season in the third spot of the lineup, losing in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2.
The Cardinals aren't back on the court for a week, as they continue their stretch of four consecutive road matches to start the season on Sept. 12 at 12 p.m. in Decatur, taking on Millikin in a CCIW affair.
