Women’s tennis tops Findlay Oilers, falls to Tiffin Dragons

Home Charger Tennis Women’s tennis tops Findlay Oilers, falls to Tiffin Dragons
Women’s tennis tops Findlay Oilers, falls to Tiffin Dragons

Despite facing its first loss of the season on Saturday, the Hillsdale College women’s tennis team returned to the courts Sunday refocused and came out swinging with a win.

The Chargers are 3-1, after losing to Tiffin University 6-3 and beating the University of Findlay 6-3. Despite several close matches, Hillsdale College didn’t play its best tennis Saturday, but got back into a fighting spirit Sunday, head coach Nikki Walbright said. With two weeks until the next dual meets, the athletes will take time to push themselves and recover.

“Everybody had some walls, but it was overall a positive weekend,” Walbright said.

It was especially a good one for freshmen Katie Bell and Kamryn Matthews, who, for the second weekend in a row, won all of their matches, leaving them undefeated this season.

Because of that, Bell was recognized as the GLIAC Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week Tuesday. She is only the third player in the five years of the women’s tennis program to receive the honor, joining sophomore Halle Hyman in 2015 and Sydney Delp ’16 in 2013.

“It was a great feeling, as I had worked so hard to win all my matches,” Bell said. “It was also quite a surprise.”

Matthews hit her first-ever golden set Sunday — she didn’t forfeit a single point for 10 games, a feat regardless of the level of play. Overall, she went 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6 singles.

“It was good to know all of my hard work has really paid off,” Matthews said.

The Chargers came into their Saturday match knowing it would be a tough one, Matthews said. Tiffin is typically in the top four in the conference.

It was also Hillsdale’s first match indoors because of rain. Matthews said the environment posed a challenge, since the floor felt softer than a typical tennis court and more like a track.

“That was hard, but I think we did a really good job of not letting that get the best of us,” Matthews said. “We were very close in a lot of matches. A couple points determined the whole match.”

At No. 2 doubles, Bell and Matthews teamed up again, winning 8-3. Despite a close battle, sophomores Julia Formentin and Madeline Bissett fell to Tiffin 9-7. Senior Dana Grace Buck and sophomore Corinne Prost also lost 8-3.

Hillsdale was behind going into the singles 2-1.

Bell at No. 2 fought hard for her win, going into a close third set 6-4, 3-6, 10-8.

“My matches were both long and difficult,” Bell said. “They were mentally and physically exhausting, so I’m happy I was able to come through and win them.”

Meanwhile, Matthews won at No. 6 singles 6-0, 6-3. Sophomore Halle Hyman, Prost, Buck, and Bissett lost their matches.

“We had a few courts that were close and just didn’t fall our way,” Walbright said. “Everybody tried really hard, but it wasn’t a day to score more points than the other team. It was really close. It could’ve gone either way.”

Although the team was disheartened by the lost, it didn’t let it interfere with Sunday’s game against Findlay, as the team regrouped and used the defeat to motivate them, Matthews said. Despite temperatures reaching up to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, the team’s mentality stayed strong, Walbright said.

“They played much better Sunday,” Walbright said. “The were very motivated.”

Buck and Bell teamed at No. 2 doubles, winning 8-4, while Matthews and senior Jada Bissett beat their opponents 8-2 in the No. 3 spot. Hyman and Prost at No. 1 doubles fell to Findlay 8-2.

Ahead 2-1 this time, Matthews said the players went into the singles competition with even more confidence.

Bell had another tough fight at No. 2, but she championed 6-4, 2-6, 6-0. So did Prost, winning 7-5, 6-2 at No. 3. Madeline Bissett also won 6-0, 6-1. Hyman and Buck both lost in close contests with three sets each. Hyman lost  5-7, 6-4, 10-3, while Buck was defeated 4-6, 6-4, 10-7.

“Everybody was trying as hard as they could and staying out on the court as long as they could,” Walbright said. “I think pushing themselves in one match gives them the better mental capability of doing that in practice.”

That match play is what Walbright said she hopes stimulate over the next two weeks. In addition to focusing on each player’s individuals goals, she said she is planning on pushing the team’s persistence through drills and time in the weight room.

“As a team, it’s focusing on the mentality of having a lot of hustle, a lot of fight,” Walbright said. “It’s getting them into the mentality to not quit and not letting them quit.”