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Tennis slips in NCAC

by Jeff Glickman

Oberlin and Denison University entered their match Tuesday in a fight for second place in the NCAC. Denison walked away the victors by a 6-3 score and Oberlin lost its claim on second place in the conference.

Last weekend, however, the Yeowomen tore apart three overmatched competitors. On Friday, the Yeowomen beat Case Western Reserve University 8-1. The next day, Oberlin lassoed nonconference Cedarville College and Allegheny University. The Yeowomen dropped only two sets the whole day.

Denison entered Tuesday's match fresh off their first loss at the hands of a conference opponent. Kenyon College rolled over the Big Red 8-1. The stage was set for a match to decide second place in NCAC.

Denison took a 3-0 lead by winning all the doubles matches. The team of captain senior Helen Kang and vice-captain junior Bethany Pribila played to an 8-8 draw at number one doubles. They played to a 5-5 tie in the tie-breaker before being served out in the last two points to lose 9-8, (7-5). The number two doubles team of junior Erika Bradford and first-year Tara Sievers played almost every game to deuce but fell after valiant effort, 8-4.

Head Coach Don Hunsinger said, "In doubles we played hard but we didn't play smart."

Down by three, the Yeowomen came storming back with determination. Everyone on the team fell in their first set of singles play. Pribila lost her set 6-0, Kang lost in a tie-breaker 6-7 (7-3), and Sievers 6-1. Things began to look dim for the Yeowomen.

With courage and concentration, all three came back by winning their second set and their third to take their matches. Unfortunately, their display of determination was not enough. Denison proved to be a little too much for the Yeowomen. The Yeowomen did not win any more singles matches.

The Yeowomen will get a rematch against Denison in the league tournament provided that they take third.

Hunsinger said, "We've played ourselves into a corner if we are going to match our goal of finishing second or third in conference we have to beat Ohio Wesleyan."

This Sunday, Ohio Wesleyan, who beat Oberlin at the GLCA tournament two weeks ago, comes to town. The two teams will battle for third in conference.

As of Monday, Kang was the top No. 2 player in the conference, Sievers was the top No. 4 player and both of Oberlin's doubles top two teams were ranked second in the conference.


Oberlin

Copyright © 1996, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 124, Number 21; April 19, 1996

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