After a disappointing loss to Tiffin University on Saturday, the Hillsdale women’s tennis team bounced back on Sunday with a win against the University of Findlay.
Saturday’s match was a close one for the Charger women. Junior Lindsay Peirce and sophomore Jada Bissett both brought home decisive wins in singles, and senior Morgan Delp and junior Sydney Delp dominated in their doubles match.
“Morgan and I are back at it and it feels so good,” Sydney Delp said. “It was also a great example to see her battling in a third set [in singles], setting the tone for our team.”
The Chargers ultimately fell 3-6 to the Dragons.
“We are continuing to improve on pressure situations and embracing the challenges of each match,” head coach Nikki Walbright said. “It’s easy to get tight when things get tough but we are working on staying focused and playing our best when it matters most.”
The second day of play saw Hillsdale beat the Oilers 5-4 in a tight contest.
“[We benefited from] strong singles performances from three through six in our line-up,” Walbright said. “We were extremely dominant and all four of those girls played so well to secure the team win.”
Singles wins for the day included Peirce at no. 3 (6-2, 6-2), sophomore Dana Grace Buck at no. 4 (6-0, 6-1), Bissett at no. 5 (6-4, 6-3) and junior Rachel Blaauw at no. 6 (6-2, 6-1). These wins were critical to the team due to the Delp sisters’ first loss of the season in their doubles match.
“This was a good win, not because we didn’t expect to have won, but because every match was important that day,” Buck said. “The great thing about team tennis is that you’re all working together even if you play singles individually.”
Sydney Delp said much of Sunday’s win can be attributed to tough plays by teammates and the depth in the team.
“Not everyone will always be on every match, but that’s what’s great about team tennis, is that you’re not alone. You have your teammates and coach spurring you on,” Buck said.
As the season progresses, the Chargers said they are working towards securing a spot in the GLIAC tournament and hopefully moving forward in the rankings.
This weekend, the Chargers look forward to playing their first home matches of the season. The team will take on Grand Valley State University on Saturday at 10 a.m. and Ferris State University on Sunday at 1 p.m.
