By Kristina Siemens
HAWAII – The Northwestern College women's tennis team had their skills stretched and tested as they faced some tough competition while on their spring break trip in Hawaii. The women started off their trip playing back-to-back matches against Chaminade University and Brigham Young University-Hawaii.
The Eagles fell 6-0 to Brigham Young University, playing only singles matches as the day's doubles matches got rained out. After the rain cleared out, the women's tennis team then fell 9-0 to Chaminade University on Friday, March 4th.
Chelsey Fiecke (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine), Northwestern's No. 3 singles player, was the only one to win one game out of all the matches versus BYU-Hawaii, falling 6-1, 6-0. The remaining singles players all were defeated by their opponents 6-0, 6-0.
After the rain came and went, the Northwestern women's tennis team then took on Chaminade University. The singles side of things was a little more promising for the Eagles as they were able to win several games against their tough Chaminade opponents. Northwestern's No. 2 singles player,
Amy Knight (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) boasted Northwestern's most games won in a singles match. Knight was able to secure three total games in her match against Chaminade's Natalie Phanphengdy, but ultimately lost 6-1, 6-2.
Lael Sanny (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View), Northwestern's No. 6 singles player also put up a fight in her match against Kiana Iwado, but fell 5-2 after all was said and done.
Northwestern struggled to win a single game in their doubles matches versus the Silverswords. All of the doubles teams were defeated 8-0 by their opponents. After facing two strong opponents and with a record of 0-6, the Eagles suited up again March 5th to face Hawaii Pacific University.
Once again, Knight, Northwestern's No. 2 singles player, won the most games in her match against Hawaii Pacific's Maria Fagerstrom. Knight kept it fairly close in her first set falling only 6-3, but then met her match in the second set and fell 6-0. Both
Leah Hogle (Grundy Center, Iowa/Grundy-Center) (Eldora, Iowa/Grundy-Center) and
Autumn Kampman (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock) (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock), Northwestern's No. 4 and No. 6 singles players respectively, were able to win one game in their matches but were both defeated 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles play, Northwestern's No. 2 pair,
Victoria Viggers (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk) (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk) and Fiecke (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine), was able to steal one game from their opponents losing 8-1. Both of the other sets of doubles partners fell 8-0 in their matches against Hawaii Pacific University.
Following a few days of rest and some team bonding, the women's tennis team faced the University of Hawaii-Hilo on March 10th. Once again, Northwestern struggled to win a match against their tough competition.
Rachel Richter (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek) (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek), Northwestern's No. 6 singles player, however, was able to give her opponent a run for her money and take 5 games from her. Rachel fell hard in the first set losing 6-1, but then kicked it in gear during her second set only losing 6-4. Northwestern's No. 1 singles player,
Dana Smith (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka) (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka), was able to get one game from her opponent, being defeated 6-0, 6-1, while the rest of the team fell 6-0, 6-0.
Smith and Knight, Northwestern's No. 1 doubles team, were able to win one game in their match versus the Vulcan's Kelsey Daguio and Janelle Ng but ended up falling 8-1. Once again, both other sets of doubles partners fell 8-0 in their matches against the University of Hawaii-Hilo.
With some tough competition under their belt and a 0-8 record, the Northwestern women's tennis team hopes to put a “W” on the board in their upcoming match against Concordia College-Moorhead on Saturday, March 19th at the Lifetime Fitness Center in St. Paul.
