Belles Fall Just Short Against Knights

• Elizabeth Preister, Lilly Chamberlin, and Maddie Minaudo earned straight-set wins in singles play.
• Megan Davy battled back to win in a tiebreaker at two singles.
• Preister and Kopf were stopped just short in a tiebreaker at three doubles.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -  In a battle for second place in league standings, the Saint Mary's tennis team fell in a tightly-played 5-4 final at Calvin on Wednesday afternoon.

Monica and Megan Davy fell in an 8-2 final at one doubles, and Lilly Chamberlin and Maddie Minaudo had an 8-4 setback at two doubles. Elizabeth Preister and Kelsey Kopf fought to the end but were stopped just short in a 9-8 (7-5) final at three doubles.

Kelsey Kopf was the first match off the courts in singles play as the senior came up on the wrong side of a 6-1, 6-0 final at three singles. The Knights clinched the match as Monica Davy fell by a 6-1, 6-2 margin at one singles. The Belles continued to fight and took the four remaining matches being contested. Elizabeth Preister prevailed 6-3, 6-1 at six singles, and Lilly Chamberlin earned a 6-2, 6-1 victory at five singles. Maddie Minaudo came out on top with a 6-4, 6-4 win at four singles. Megan Davy had the biggest battle of the day in singles play. The freshman fell in a tiebreaker in the first set 7-6 (7-3) before fighting back to win the second set 7-5 to force a match tiebreaker. Riding the momentum of the second-set win, Davy clinched the two singles win with a 10-4 victory in the tiebreaker.

The Belles (11-7, 5-2 MIAA) return home on Saturday for their final match of the regular season as the team hosts Alma at 1:00 p.m. The two seniors on the team will be recognized prior to the start of competition.

Calvin College 5, Saint Mary's College 4
Singles competition
1. Leah Newhof (CALVIN) def. Monica Davy (SMC) 6-1, 6-2
2. Megan Davy (SMC) def. Madeline Brouwer (CALVIN) 6-7 (3-7), 7-5, 1-0 (10-4)
3. Anna Asfour (CALVIN) def. Kelsey Kopf (SMC) 6-1, 6-0
4. Maddie Minaudo (SMC) def. Lark Foote (CALVIN) 6-4, 6-4
5. Lilly Chamberlin (SMC) def. Alexis Bonner (CALVIN) 6-2, 6-1
6. Elizabeth Preister (SMC) def. Brittney Statema (CALVIN) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Leah Newhof/Madeline Brouwer (CALVIN) def. Megan Davy/Monica Davy (SMC) 8-2
2. Lark Foote/Anna Asfour (CALVIN) def. Lilly Chamberlin/Maddie Minaudo (SMC) 8-4
3. Alexis Bonner/Brittney Statema (CALVIN) def. Elizabeth Preister/Kelsey Kopf (SMC) 9-8 (7-5)

Match Notes:
Saint Mary's College 11-7, 5-2 MIAA
Calvin College 13-5, 6-1 MIAA
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,1,6,5,4,2)