Women's Tennis Loses Close Finale in 3-Match Weekend
(Kearney, NE) – The women’s tennis team played their first weekend of matches for their spring season this weekend. Made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores, they played some good tennis, particularly in singles, against the reigning KCAC Champion in their 7-0 loss to McPherson. On Sunday, they played NCAA Division II #13 Nebraska-Kearney, falling 7-0, then lost a tight 4-2 match against the University of Saint Mary.
(Kearney, NE) – The women's tennis team played their first weekend of matches for their spring season this weekend. Made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores, they played some good tennis, particularly in singles, against the reigning KCAC Champion in their 7-0 loss to McPherson. On Sunday, they played NCAA Division II #13 Nebraska-Kearney, falling 7-0, then lost a tight 4-2 match against the University of Saint Mary.
McPherson came out ready to play in doubles, losing just two games in the three doubles matches combined to take the doubles point, then lost four combined games in the #1, #3, and #5 singles spots. At #6 singles, freshman Kayleigh Cetak got behind early, dropping the first set 6-2, but found her groove in the second set despite 6-4 falling in a very competitive second set that was a point away from being five-all on serve.
Sophomore Josline Carter played a very tight, competitive match at #2 singles. She took the first set in a tiebreak, 7-5, then had a couple of break point chances late in the second set that would have given her a chance to serve out the match. It ultimately went to a second set tiebreak that the Bulldogs won, 7-5. Carter started out strong in the third set super tiebreak, jumping out to a 7-5 lead going to the second changeover of tiebreak, but McPherson won the next five points to steal the decisive set, 10-7.
Playing at #4 singles, junior Paige Willcoxon opened her match by holding serve to go up 1-0. Despite dropping the first set 6-3, there were many long rallies that could have gone either way, as McPherson pulled a set ahead. That Bulldog momentum carried into the second set as they took it, 6-2, and the match, 7-0.
Against #13 Nebraska-Kearney, the Broncos managed to get a game in the number one and two doubles matches, but the Lopes won all three matches to get the doubles point. Carter had the most success for Hastings in singles, losing 6-1, 6-1. The Lopers lost only one other game in the other five singles matches in the 7-0 loss.
In the match against the University of Saint Mary, Carter and sophomore Victoria Harris won the #1 doubles match easily, 6-2, but St. Mary was able to win at #3 doubles and closed out a very competitive #2 doubles match, 6-4, to get the doubles point.
The Spires won at #1 singles and #6 singles by losing just five games combined, but Hastings kept things interesting with wins at #2 and #4 singles. At two singles, Harris breezed to a 6-0 opening set win against Shannon Finn, then after falling behind 3-0 in the second set, she rallied to go up 5-4, before ultimately winning the set, 7-5.
Willcoxon led most of the way in her match against Rowen Wiemers at four singles, jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the opening set and eventually clinching the set, 6-3. The second set was closer as the two exchanged long rallies, but she eventually pulled the match out on her serve to win the set.
With the Spires leading 3-2 in the overall match, Hastings needed wins from at #3 and #5 singles to win. Freshman Cara Ansbach lost the opening set to Mia Rojas at three singles, but managed to even up the set score a 3-all in the second. Rojas, however, won the next three games of the match to clinch the match 4-2 match win.
Freshman Lexi Benson won her opening set a five singles, 7-5, and was up 2-1 in the second set when the match was halted due to the clinch, in a decision that was prior to the match for whichever team clinched first.
Up next, Hastings will play Metropolitan State in Lexington, NE on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9am inside the new Lexington Racquet Complex.
