GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University women's tennis team opened MIAA play with a 6-1 defeat to rival Hope College on Saturday morning at Strikwerda Tennis Center.
Calvin (8-3, 0-1 MIAA) won the number-three doubles match 6-4 thanks to the team of
Tessa Holman (Washington, Mich./Romeo) and
Rachel Grissom (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central), but Hope (9-5, 3-0 MIAA) won both the numbers-one and two matches to secure the one doubles point and take a 1-0 overall lead.
In singles play, the Knights needed to earn four wins to overcome the early deficit, but the Flying Dutch secured straight sets wins in each of the three singles matches at the top of the line-up to clinch the win.
Calvin forced third-set tiebreakers in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth spots in the line-up.
Ryan Morey (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) won her third-set tiebreaker to win 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7).
Marina Ribeiro (santos Sal Paolo, Brazil/Santa Cecilia) lost in four-singles 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (14-12), while
Julia Hooker (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) lost in five-singles 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6).
NEXT UP: Calvin women's tennis will return to action on Wednesday, April 2, when it hosts Alma College in an MIAA match-up scheduled to start at 4:00 PM.
