GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University women's tennis team fell 6-3 to rival Hope College on Saturday at Strikwerda Tennis Center in a battle for first place in the conference.
 
Both teams entered the day unbeaten in MIAA play, and Hope (15-5, 6-0 MIAA) took the early advantage by winning the number-one (8-6) and number-three (8-0) doubles matches.
 
Calvin (14-2, 5-1 MIAA) scored one early point with an 8-4 win by the number-two team of Catherine Grissom (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) and Rachel Grissom (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central).
 
Needing four points in singles play, the Knights took home wins in straight sets thanks to Maggie Shoemaker (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) in four-singles (6-2, 6-0) and Delanie Minnema (East Grand Rapids, Mich./Northpointe) in six-singles (6-0, 6-2).
 
Hope countered with straight-sets wins in the numbers two and three matches, but the remaining two (one-singles and five-singles) went to a deciding third set.
 
In the number-five match, Averi Lewis (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) took the first set, but fell in three sets (3-6, 6-4, 6-1), while the Tessa Holman (Washington, Mich./Romeo) forced a third set but also lost in the final set 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "We really battled today against a really good Hope team in a battle for first place," Calvin head tennis coach John Ross said. "I'm proud of our effort, but today Hope was just a little too talented for us. We've got to take care of business here with three remaining MIAA matches and then the conference tournament coming up. We competed today and our program is going in the right direction."
 
NEXT UP: Calvin women's tennis returns to action on Tuesday, April 16, when it plays at Albion College in a match scheduled to start at 4:00 PM.