Results
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The St. Catherine University tennis team has always been competitive in its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) matches against St. Olaf College. For the past three seasons, the Wildcats have come out on top against the Oles in three close contests, all of which have come down to the final singles matches. The scenario was the exact same Saturday evening, but unfortunately, St. Kate's did not come out on top, as the team fell to St. Olaf by a final score of 5-4.
"I was really proud of how hard we competed," head tennis coach
Megan Gaard said after the match. "Matches like this are tough to lose but being pushed to play your best tennis is the most fun."
The Wildcats fell behind 1-2 after doubles play but competed well in all three individual matches. St. Kate's No. 2 team of
Bri Dorr (Princeton, Minn. / Princeton) and
Ella Graham (Madison, S.D. / Madison) won the team's lone doubles point thanks to an 8-4 win over Kellis Brandt and Margaret Zimmerman.
Julia Sporer (Rogers, Minn. / Rogers) and
Leah Obert (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Simley) nearly came away with a huge win at the No. 3 spot against Greta Prokosh and Emily Otteson. After 16 games of tennis, the two teams were knotted at 8-8 and needed a tiebreaker to determine the victor. While Sporer and Obert battled, the two ultimately fell in the tie breaker 10-4, resulting in the 9-8 loss.
Alisha Wiedmeier (Rapid City, S.D. / Stevens) and
Aubrey Eckstrom (St. James, Minn. / St. James) also fell to their St. Olaf opponents 8-3.
Despite the two losses in doubles, the Wildcats fought valiantly in singles and eventually tied the Oles at 4-4. Graham, Obert and
Maddy Knoll (Waseca, Minn. / Waseca) earned big time wins for St. Kate's in singles play at the No. 4, 5 and 6 spots. Graham defeated Brandt in straight sets 6-1. 6-1, while Knoll was victories at the No. 6 spot thanks to her 6-2, 6-4 straight set sweep.
Obert played in a thrilling three set match, eventually winning thanks to the third set tiebreaker. After winning the opener 6-1, Obert looked like she was set to cruise to a straight set victory before the Oles Sophia Skoglund took set two 6-1 to force the third set tiebreaker. Fortunately for the Wildcats, Obert triumphed in that set, taking the match with a 6-1, 1-6, 10-7 victory.
Unfortunately, St. Kate's top three players did not have the same luck in singles play. After her thrilling win in doubles, Dorr was looking to leave Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis with a perfect day before falling to Sabrina Barboza 6-4, 7-5. Wiedmeier also fell in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, while Sporer fell at the No. 3 spot 6-3, 7-6 (4).
With the loss, the Wildcats overall record falls to 5-3 with a 1-3 mark in MIAC play. St. Kate's will enjoy two weeks off before playing in Chicago over spring break.
