Box Score
GAMBIER, Ohio – The last time out, the Allegheny women's tennis team came away the victor in a 4:15 marathon match against Case Western Reserve University, 5-4. On Friday afternoon, the Gators (9-5, 0-1 NCAC) took part in yet another four hour marathon match, this time against conference foe Kenyon College. Despite a favorable home-court advantage for the Ladies (11-5, 3-1 NCAC), the Gators handled the ruckus atmosphere, and played the no. 12 regionally-ranked team to a tough 6-3 loss.
Through doubles play to open the match, the Gators jumped ahead of the Ladies by winning flights two and three, and only dropping two games between the two matches. The duo of
Carolyn Shetter and
Janna Dickerson had a clean flight two doubles match winning 8-0.
Deborah Landau and
Elyse Schmitt took their flight three doubles match 8-2.
Kenyon would answer back in a big way taking the first three singles decisions with wins in flights two, six, and three to take a 4-2 lead in the match. With the team match in the balance, Landau knocked off her opponent in flight four, 6-4, 6-4 to extend the team match.
Due to the length of the matches, the final two matches on court had to be paused and moved indoors for their conclusions.
The team match would be decided in flight four as Schmitt and her opponent Carly Bond played to the wire. After dropping the first set 7-5, Schmitt came back and took the second set 6-3 to force the tie-breaking set. Down 6-5 in the third set, Schmitt pushed the set to deuce three times before Bond secured the team win for the Ladies.
Shetter, the final match on court at flight one, also forced her match to a decisive third set, exemplifying the level of play the women have brought to the court all year long, and how tough they played the Ladies on Friday.
The Gators will look to move forward from the setback with a pair of conference matches tomorrow, Saturday, April 16th at Denison University against the Big Red and Ohio Wesleyan. The match against Denison is set for a 10:00 a.m. start time and the match against Ohio Wesleyan is set for a 2:30 p.m. start time.
