The women’s tennis team went 1-1 during last weekend’s road trip, losing 9-0 to conference power Edgewood, Wis. and beating Rockford, Ill. 6-3.
Lakeland’s No. 3 doubles team of Nakisha Gardner and Lauryn Hibbard was blanked 8-0 while the No.1 team of Nicole Shavlik and April Schimitz fared little better, going down 8-1.
At No. 2 doubles, Cassi Felton and Alyssa Schuttenhelm led the two-time defending conference champions 4-3 halfway through the match.
“The lead was generated by Cassi’s super serving where she won both service games with masterful first serves,” said coach Leigh Cherveny. That and the court coverage and volleying by both players had Edgewood on its heels and brought Edgewood’s coach Ben Osterich on the court twice to help his team. While we ended up losing the match, every game was tight.”
Cherveny also praised the aggressive hitting of Shavlik and Schmitz at No. 1 doubles.
Lakeland fell in the singles matches versus Edgewood. Shavlik lost 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1, Schmitz lost 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2, Schuttenhelm lost 6-2, 6-0 at No. 3, Felton lost 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4, Kaitlyn Minton lost 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5, and Grace Jairo lost 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6.
The Muskies traveled to Rockford College after the loss for the second match of the day, this time winning 6-3.
Shavlik and Schmitz won 8-0 at No. 1 doubles while Schuttenhelm and Felton couldn’t come back after a slow start and lost 8-4 at No. 2. Lakeland took No. 3 doubles via forfeit.
“Out 1.5 hour trip to Rockford may have had a calming effect on the team as we came out a bit flat,” Cherveny said.
Nicole Shavlik earned a win after being down 3-2 in the first set to an opponent Cherveny decribed as a “backboard.”
“Down 2-3, Nicole started to take time away from Alyssa by hitting more off her front foot and using the angles to move her around the court. Especially effective was Nicole’s low backhand return to Alyssa’s backhand. Nicole won the next ten games to earn her eighth singles victory,” Cherveny said.
Cherveny complimented the play of Schmitz in her 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles.
“April continued with her fine hitting displayed at Edgewood where she hit consistent deep topspin ground strokes. In the Rockford match she added more pace and fine shot making against Rockford’s counterpuncher Noi Bounleutay.”
Felton lost 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3 singles and Schuttenhelm lost 6-4, 6-1, 10-7 in a match that went to a tie-break instead of three sets because Lakeland had already won overall.
Lakeland plays in the NAC tournament this weekend in Madison.