GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin women's tennis team topped Aquinas on Wednesday afternoon, 7-2. The Knights improve to 7-3 on the year, while Aquinas falls to 4-8.
"I am so proud of the team," said Calvin head coach Kevin Van Haitsma. "We showed a lot of toughness today, the most we might have showed all season. Aquinas is a really good team and we knew that today was going to be very tough. I am pleased with how we are playing heading into MIAA play."
The Saints would get on the scoreboard first with a victory at No. 1 doubles. The team of senior Lea Jansen and freshman Martina Devetak defeated junior Ellie Benzel and junior Claire Spoelhof, 8-0.
Calvin would tie the match at one with a win at No. 3 doubles. Junior Liz Turner and sophomore Lark Foote were victorious over junior Brittany Mayer and junior Kali Green, 8-1.
Calvin's sophomore duo of Jessica Bouma and Micaela Seazzu came from behind to win at No. 3 doubles. After trailing 1-4 and 5-6 the duo rallied to defeat senior MJ Bothma and senior Anna Musiyenko, 8-6.
Aquinas' Lea Jansen would tie the match at two with a 6-3, 6-1, victory over Ellie Benzel at No. 1 singles. That would be the last point that the Saints would score in the match.
Claire Spoelhof gave the Knights the lead with a 6-3, 6-3, victory over Martina Devetak at No. 2 singles.
At No. 3 singles, Micaela Seazzu defeated MJ Bothma, 6-3, 6-4.
Calvin's Liz Turner had match point on junior Kasey Jacobs when the match was halted and brought inside due to lightning. Turner would seal the deal and win the match at No. 6 singles to clinch the match for Calvin, 6-4, 6-1.
Sophomore Kari Kroeze defeated Brittany Mayer of Aquinas at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 7-6.
The final match at No. 4 singles came down to the wire and required a third-set tiebreaker. Freshman Alyssa Bowman took the first set over Anna Musiyenko of Aquinas, 6-1. Musiyenko would fight back and take the second set, 6-3. Bowman would go on to win the tiebreaker, 11-9.
The Knights return to action on Saturday when they start MIAA action versus the Alma Scots.
