GRINNELL, Iowa – An experienced Augustana team rolled past Grinnell in the opening match of the 2016-17 women's tennis season by a score of 8-1 on Saturday, August 27 in Grinnell, Iowa. The Vikings actually trailed in this match 1-0 after the number two doubles match was completed but they rolled up eight straight wins to claim the team victory.
 
Senior Dana Goggin (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) led the way with wins at number two singles and number one doubles. She teamed with sophomore Caitlyn Schaffer (Kenwood Academy, Chicago, Ill.) to defeat Amelia Cogan and Judith Fan at number one doubles by a score of 8-5. Goggin beat Cogan 6-3; 6-1 at number two singles. Schaffer, who has moved up to the number three singles position this year after playing at number five a year ago, beat Megan Jans 6-0; 6-1.
 
The number three doubles team of sophomore Madeline Lombardi (Edwardsville HS, Glen Carbon, Ill.) and freshman Zeana Badawi (Hinsdale Central HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) beat Lilly Hamilton and Brenda Guan 8-6. Lombardi won at number six singles by a score of 6-0; 6-1 over Shannon Hautzinger while Badawi picked up her first collegiate singles victory with a 6-3; 6-3 decision over Anuska Joshi.
 
Senior Lauren Goggin (Buffalo Grove HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) defeated Fan 6-4; 6-1 at number one singles and junior Mollie Magee (Olathe East HS, Overland Park, Kan.) beat Hamilton 6-3; 7-6 at number five singles. Goggin and Magee played at number two doubles and fell to Jans and Joshi 8-3.
 
Augustana, under the direction of head coach Jon Miedema, finished the 2015-16 season with a sparkling 24-8 overall record and a number 14 ranking in the NCAA Division III Central Region. Miedema now has 98 dual meet wins (98-44) and is just two victories shy of reaching the 100 victory plateau.
 
The Vikings will be in action again on Saturday, September 3 at the Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Augustana will begin defense of its College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championship on Tuesday, September 6 with a home dual match against Carroll at 4:00 p.m. at the Lower Campus Courts.