11 November 1998                                   CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206
 

Tiberi, Ogrin Share IWU Women's Tennis MVP Honor

 

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Sophomores Nicole Tiberi and Nikki Ogrin are the co-winners of the ãMost Valuable Playerä award for this fallâs Illinois Wesleyan University women's tennis team.
 Tiberi (Frankfort, Lincoln-Way HS) logged a 9-10 season mark as IWUâs No. 1 singles player and has a two-year singles record of 24-18, making her 15th in IWU career singles victories.
 ãA sophomore playing at No. 1 is a difficult thing, but Nicole never complained or wanted to play anything else,ä said IWU coach Barb Cothren, whose team finished with a 9-7 dual record and placed fourth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin meet. ãNicole is a very consistent player who will continue to improve over her next two seasons.ä
 Ogrin (Waukegan, Carmel HS) was 12-6 in singles this fall, all at No. 2. In two seasons, Ogrin has a record of 23-19 and ranks 16th in singles victories at IWU. ãNikki was much improved over last year,ä Cothren said. ãShe has outstanding strokes, is quick, has a hard serve and hits the ball hard, which is necessary against the better players in our league.ä
 Both Tiberi and Ogrin earned third-place singles finishes in the CCIW meet and Tiberi teamed up with sophomore Nicole Skalski (Flossmoor, Homewood-Flossmoor HS) for a third place finish at No. 2 doubles at the conference finale. The Tiberi-Skalski team was 7-4 this season at No. 2 doubles and placed third in the CCIW meet.
 Other double-digit singles winners included Skalski, who was 13-6 overall and 12-5 at No. 4, and juniors Jennifer Collar (Davenport, Iowa, West HS) and Carrie Damrow (Orland Park, Sandburg HS). Collar was 11-7 overall, including 10-5 at No. 5, and her career record of 35-18 places her in a ninth place tie for singles victories at IWU. ãJennifer is a very steady and smart player who uses her skills to her advantage,ä Cothren said. ãSheâs very consistent, aggressive, and a good leader.ä
 Damrow was 11-8 overall this fall and 11-7 at No. 3. She now has 26 career singles wins, good for 14th in IWU womenâs tennis history.
 Collar also teamed with freshman Heidi Herner (Wadsworth, Warren Township HS) for a 6-3 record and third-place finish at No. 3 doubles.
 Cothren awarded letters to seven players, all of whom return for next season. They are, with hometowns and high schools:
JUNIORS - Jennifer Collar (Davenport, Iowa, West HS); Carrie Damrow (Orland Park, Sandburg HS); Sarah Sjostrom (Rockford, Guilford HS).
SOPHOMORES - Nikki Ogrin (Waukegan, Carmel HS); Nicole Skalski (Flossmoor, Homewood-Flossmoor HS); Nicole Tiberi (Frankfort, Lincoln-Way HS)
FRESHMEN - Heidi Herner (Wadsworth, Warren Township HS).
 

1998 ILLINOIS WESLEYAN WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS

DATE      OPPONENT              W/L   IWU   OPP.   OVERALL   CCIW
Sept. 2   EUREKA                W      8     1      1-0       -
Sept. 3   at Ill.-Springfield   L      3     6      1-1       -
Sept. 5   at Illinois College   W      8     1      2-1       -
Sept. 9   AURORA                W      9     0      3-1       -
Sept. 11  *NORTH PARK           W      9     0      4-1      1-0
Sept. 16  at U. of Chicago      L      2     7      4-2       -
Sept. 18  *ELMHURST             W      7     2      5-2      2-0
Sept. 23  *at North Central     W      8     1      6-2      3-0
Sept. 25  BRADLEY               L      3     6      6-3       -
Sept. 26  IND.-PURDUE-INâPOLIS  L      3     6      6-4       -
Oct. 2    at Lake Forest        W      8     1      7-4       -
Oct. 3    *at Carthage          L      1     8      7-5      3-1
Oct. 6    *WHEATON              L      0     9      7-6      3-2
Oct. 10   ILLINOIS-SPRINGFIELD  W      6     3      8-6      3-2
Oct. 12   *MILLIKIN             W      8     1      9-6      4-2
Oct. 13   *at Augustana         L      2     7      9-7      4-3
Oct. 16   CCIW Championships    4th (of 8)
* - Indicates CCIW match.

SINGLES RECORDS

Jennifer Collar (Davenport, Iowa, West HS)
No. 1 - 1-0
No. 4 - 0-2
No. 5 - 10-5
OVERALL - 11-7

Carrie Damrow (Orland Park, Sandburg HS)
No. 2 - 0-1
No. 3 - 11-7
OVERALL - 11-8

Kerry Fahlbusch (Mt. Prospect, Rolling Meadows)
No. 1 - 1-0
No. 3 - 2-0
OVERALL -  3-0

Heidi Herner (Wadsworth, Warren Twp. HS)
No. 2 - 1-0
No. 4 - 1-0
No. 6 - 7-4
OVERALL - 9-4

Nikki Ogrin (Waukegan, Carmel HS)
No. 2 - 12-6
OVERALL - 12-6

Jeannette Otis (Towanda, Normal Community)
No. 5 - 1-0
No. 6 -  1-0
OVERALL - 2-0

Megan Sholar (Godfrey, Alton Marquette HS)
No. 3 - 1-0
No. 5 - 1-1
OVERALL - 2-1

Sarah Sjostrom (Rockford, Guilford HS)
No. 2 - 1-0
No. 5 - 1-1
No. 6 - 3-5
OVERALL - 5-6

Nicole Skalski (Flossmoor, Homewood-Flossmoor)
No. 3 - 0-1
No. 4 - 12-5
No. 5 -  1-0
OVERALL - 13-6

Jaclin Szafraniec (Mt. Prospect, Rolling Meadows)
No. 6 - 1-0
OVERALL -  1-0

Nicole Tiberi (Frankfort, Lincoln-Way HS)
No. 1 -  9-10
OVERALL - 9-10

Elena Zvirbulis (Orland Park, Sandburg HS)
No. 4 - 1-0
OVERALL -  1-0