The Cyclones opened their season at home in a matchup with Sauk Valley Community College. After a tough battle, they fell 6-3.

Some nerves came into play for this first outing, but the players put in the effort. Wins came from Amanda Hess at No. 4 singles (6-0, 6-2) and two forfeits. Some close matches were at No. 2 singles where Victoria Maratea lost 3-6, 4-6 and No. 6 singles where Nada Hinnawi lost in a three-set tiebreaker (6-4, 3-6, 8-10).

"I'm very proud of the team. Even when they were losing, they were looking for ways to come back," said Head Coach Matt Marusarz. "This team has a lot of heart, and I'm sure those first-game jitters should be all out of their systems now."