NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's tennis team shouldered a 5-4 loss to Aquinas before ending on the short side of an 8-1 final against Spring Arbor on Saturday at the Eck Tennis Pavilion at the University of Notre Dame.
In the opening match of the day, the Belles gained an advantage in both doubles and singles play via a forfeit at the three doubles and the six singles flights.
Meredith Heckert and
Kalyn Borger had several long rallies go the other way in an 8-1 setback at one doubles. The highlight match of the competition against Aquinas came at the two doubles flight.
Lucy Chamberlin and
Alayna Campbell trailed 6-3 before putting together a huge comeback. The duo broke serve before Chamberlin held serve to make it a 6-5 score. The pair kept the momentum going with breaking serve again to set up Campbell holding serve to put the Belles up 7-6. The two then broke serve to capture the 8-6 win.
In singles action,
Kalyn Borger was on the short end of a 6-4, 6-0 final at five singles.
Meredith Heckert shouldered a tight 6-3, 6-1 setback at two singles.
Kathleen McLeod powered her way to a straight-set 6-3, 6-3 win at four singles.
Lucy Chamberlin and
Alayna Campbell were the two remaining singles matches competing on the court. Chamberlin battled back after dropping her opening set with a second-set win to force a tiebreaker, but the junior came up just shy in the 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6) one singles match. Similarly, Campbell fought her way back from a 6-2 first-set loss to take a 6-4 second set, but the freshman was unable to complete the comeback in the 10-6 tiebreaker.
The nightcap saw Spring Arbor take an 8-1 team decision, but the match was much more competitive than the overall score might imply.
Kathleen McLeod and
Nikki Rust broke serve to stay alive at 7-5 in a back-and-forth three doubles match, but the Belles had their serve broken in the next game in an 8-5 setback. The two doubles match featuring
Kalyn Borger and
Meredith Heckert was also close from start to finish. Borger held serve before the pair broke serve to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead. The sides continued to hold serve until the Belles had their serve broken to tie the match at 5-5. Their counterparts then held serve, broke serve again, and closed out the match after holding serve for the 8-5 final.
Lucy Chamberlin and
Alayna Campbell, meanwhile, posted their second gritty doubles win of the day. The pair led 6-3 before their opponents came back to make it 6-5. The duo took the next two games and closed out an 8-6 win at one doubles by breaking serve to make the overall match score 2-1.
Nikki Rust and
Kalyn Borger had similarly close matches in singles play. Each student-athlete had several long points but were unable to break through in 6-2, 6-3 setbacks at six and five singles, respectively.
Meredith Heckert bounced back from a 6-1 set-one loss by holding serve for a 1-0 lead in set two. She and her opponent traded games back and forth, but Heckert ultimately found herself on the wrong end of a 6-3 second set at two singles.
Lucy Chamberlin had numerous rallies in her one singles competition as the junior was in it point for point in a 6-4, 6-1 loss. The final two singles matches on the courts were true nailbiters for all in attendance.
Alayna Campbell came up just short in a 7-5 opening set at three singles. The freshman battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the second set to make it a 3-2 score. A short while later, Campbell prevailed after several deuces to break her opponent's serve and tie the set at 4-4. The late bounces, however, did not go Campbell's way in a tough 6-4 second set loss.
Kathleen McLeod, meanwhile, had a marathon match at four singles. The junior battled point-for-point to win in a tiebreaker in the opening set by a 7-6 (7-5) score. Her opponent took the second set by a 6-1 margin to force a tiebreaker for the match. Trailing 9-3, McLeod fought to keep her match alive as she took back-to-back points to make it 9-5, but a shot tracked long on the next point in a 10-5 final.
Katie Hunter and
Bailey Siglow each gained solid playing experience against the Cougars despite falling in exhibition doubles and singles play on the night.
The Belles (0-4) are back in action on March 7 when they open up their spring break trip to Florida with matches against John Carroll and Covenant.
Aquinas 5, Saint Mary's College 4
Singles competition
1. Sofia Gomez (AQW) def.
Lucy Chamberlin (SMC) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
2. Carlota Arzabe (AQW) def.
Meredith Heckert (SMC) 6-3, 6-1 (10-6)
3. Joska Volder (AQW) def.
Alayna Campbell (SMC) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0
4.
Kathleen McLeod (SMC) def. Mimi Pecheco (AQW) 6-3, 6-3
5. Vanessa Heylmun (AQW) def.
Kalyn Borger (SMC) 6-4, 6-0
6.
Nikki Rust (SMC) def. No player (AQW), by forfeit
Doubles competition
1. Sofia Gomez/Joska Volder (AQW) def.
Meredith Heckert/
Kalyn Borger (SMC) 8-1
2.
Lucy Chamberlin/
Alayna Campbell (SMC) def. Carlota Arzabe/Mimi Pecheco (AQW) 8-6
3.
Kathleen McLeod/
Nikki Rust (SMC) def. Vanessa Heylmun/No player (AQW), by forfeit
