The Bluffton College women’s tennis team traveled to Defiance on Saturday for two dual matches against the host Yellow Jackets and the Hanover Panthers. The Beavers were able to dominate the first and third singles positions against both teams, but it was not enough as Bluffton fell to Hanover, 7-2, and Defiance, 6-3.
Freshman Jenna Liechty and sophomore Kara Schrock both swept their singles matches on the day, and nearly picked up another win against Defiance, playing together at the first doubles position. Liechty capped a 3-0 week of singles play at the top position, as she defeated Megan Parrott of Hanover (6-3, 6-3) and Allison Scheu of Defiance (6-1, 5-7, (10-2)). Schrock, meanwhile, picked up two hard-fought matches against Sarah Pollom of Hanover and Abby Reichard of Defiance. Schrock’s match with Pollom featured a tiebreak game to decide the first set and a super tiebreak to decide the match after Pollom forced a split by winning the second set. The doubles duo of Liechty and Schrock nearly picked up a win against Defiance’s duo of Scheu and Kylee VonDeylen. In their first day playing together, the two led 7-5 before falling 9-7.
The Beavers’ other win against the Yellow Jackets came at the second doubles position where Stephanie Keefe and Lisa Cherry, also playing together for the first time, picked up an 8-6 win against the previously undefeated doubles team of Reichard and Jodi Waidelich. Cherry also narrowly pulled out a victory in her singles match against Waidelich. After dropping the first set, Cherry came back to win the second set 7-5, forcing a super tiebreak game to decide the match. Though Cherry dropped the tiebreak 10-6, the match represented her best day of singles play so far this season. Jenni Blose also had one of her best days this season, winning her first set against Defiance’s Sarah Shuff, and narrowly falling in the deciding super tiebreak, 10-7. Blose and Julie Harsha also had their best day this season in doubles play, dropping a close 9-7 match against Hanover and an 8-5 match with Defiance. The duo held leads late in both matches.
“I’m definitely pleased with our effort today, “stated Coach Nate Smith. “We had some athletes battling through adversity today, and they all came through in a manner they should be proud of. It’s not easy to play four consecutive matches, but I was proud of the way they kept battling. I thought we stayed focused mentally, and we had a great chance at pulling out a victory today against Defiance. Both their coach and myself agreed that if we played each other ten times, it would probably be an even split.”
The Beavers finish their regular season HCAC schedule over the course of this week, when they travel to Mount St. Joseph on Tuesday, and travel to Anderson for dual matches with the Ravens and Franklin College on Saturday.
Bluffton College vs Hanover College, at Defiance
Singles
#1 – Jenna Liechty (BC) def. Megan Parrott (HC); 6-3, 6-3
#2 – Laura Ream (HC) def. Stephanie Keefe (BC); 6-3, 6-2
#3 – Kara Schrock (BC) def. Sarah Pollom (HC); 7-6(5), 4-6, (10-8)
#4 – Allison McLane (HC) def. Lisa Cherry (BC); 6-3, 6-1
#5 – Sara Beth Ratliff (HC) def. Jenni Blose (BC); 6-2, 6-3
#6 – Lauren VanBenten (HC) def. Julie Harsha (BC); 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
#1 – Parrott/Ream (HC) def. Liechty/Schrock (BC); 8-2
#2 – Ratliff/Pollom (HC) def. Keefe/Cherry (BC); 8-3
#3 – DiGeronimo/McLane (HC) def. Blose/Harsha (BC); 9-7
Final Score: Hanover 7, Bluffton 2
Bluffton College at Defiance College
Singles
#1 – Jenna Liechty (BC) def. Allison Scheu (DC); 6-1, 5-7, (10-2)
#2 – Kylee VonDeylen (DC) def. Stephanie Keefe (BC); 6-2, 6-1
#3 – Kara Schrock (BC) def. Abby Reichard (DC); 6-3, 7-5
#4 – Jodi Waidelich (DC) def. Lisa Cherry (BC); 6-2, 5-7, (10-6)
#5 – Sarah Shuff (DC) def. Jenni Blose (BC); 4-6, 6-2, (10-7)
#6 – Erin Williams (DC) def. Julie Harsha (BC); 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
#1 – Scheu/VonDeylen (DC) def. Liechty/Schrock (BC); 9-7
#2 – Keefe/Cherry (BC) def. Waidelich/Reichard (DC); 8-6
#3 – Dye/Williams (DC) def. Blose/Harsha (DC); 8-5
Final Score: Defiance 6, Bluffton 3
