Sam Frank gets set to hit a return.
Coach Jon Carlson talks to Ali O’Neal (left) and Erica Dobson during their #2 doubles match.
Megan Gaard prepares to hit a backhand.
The Gustavus women’s tennis team put up a good fight, but could not overcome #3 seed Mary Washington losing 8-1 in a quarterfinal match at the ITA Division III Women’s Indoor Championship. The Gusties, who are hosting the eight-team tournament at the Swanson Tennis Center, will now face DePauw University in a consolation match at 8:30 am on Saturday morning.
The Gusties started off the match with three competitive doubles matches. Sierra Krebsbach and Sam Frank gave Gustavus a 1-0 lead when they knocked off the nationally rated team of Becky Morse-Karzen and Kate Malpeli 8-5. Unfortunately for the Gusties they dropped two very tight matches at the #2 and #3 positions as Ali O’Neal and Erica Dobson lost to Katie Schafer and Courtney Goimarac 8-9 at #2 and Mary Roop and Megan Gaard lost to Michelle Meadows and Amy Sheetz 6-8 at #3. Gustavus trailed 2-1 heading into the singles matches.
Mary Washington took control in singles winning five of the six matches in straight sets. Gustavus sophomore Sam Frank at the #2 position was the lone Gustie to push her match to three sets, but she lost to Kate Malpeli 2-6, 6-2, 1-6.
Gustavus will close out tournament play with two matches on Saturday. The team will begin the day with a match against DePauw at 8:30 am and then wrap up with another consolation match against either Coe or Pomona-Pitzer at 7:00 pm.