JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's tennis team lost a pair of Midwest Conference matches on Saturday to Ripon College and St. Norbert College. The two defeats drop the Lady Blues to 2-5 (1-3 MWC).
Without the services of
Kathryn Ryan at No. 1 singles and doubles, Illinois College pieced together some new components and were able to take a point in doubles against Ripon.
Kalisa Goertz and
Sally Hixson outlasted Morgan Makar and MacKenzie Warner of the Redhawks, 8-6, to keep the Lady Blues within a point entering singles.
Though Hixson notched her second point of the match with an impressive 6-2, 6-0 win over Makar at No. 2 singles, that would be the final point for IC and Ripon would come away with a 7-2 victory.
Sophia Roth made her debut at No. 1 and lost a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 decision to Hannah Ryback. At No. 3, Goertz came close to knocking off Samantha Kiesner but lost a third-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.
In the evening session against St. Norbert, Hixson and Roth teamed up for a No. 1 doubles win over Claire Hetzel and Hannah Keller, 8-5. That would be the only point for the Lady Blues in the match however. Once again, Goertz and Roth had solid showings in their respective singles matches. Goertz fell to Hannah Swajanen at No. 3, 7-5, 6-3. Roth slid down a spot to No. 2 but lost to Hetzel, 6-3, 6-3.
The weekend wraps up tomorrow as Illinois College hosts Lawrence University back at the Bellatti Tennis Complex at 2 p.m.
