<tionally No. 24-ranked Carleton College women’s tennis team continued its string of victories in MIAC play with a 9-0 win on Monday over crosstown rival St Olaf College. The Knights are now 8-0 in conference (14-2 overall) and, thanks to a Gustavus Adolphus loss yesterday, sit alone atop the MIAC standings as the lone undefeated team in conference play. Monday’s match was moved indoors to due to windy weather, but the change in venue had little impact as the Knights swept all nine matches over the Oles (4-3, 3-3 MIAC).
The dismantling of St. Olaf followed an impressive showing against St. Thomas, in which the Knights handed the Tommies their first conference loss. The Knights had little trouble with St. Thomas, winning 7-2 on the road in St. Paul.
The nationally No. 24-ranked Carleton squad led 2-1 after doubles play. While St. Thomas picked up a win from its regionally-ranked doubles team, an 8-1 win by Mikayla Becich ‘16 and Grace Davis ‘16 at second doubles, as well as an 8-2 victory by Katherine Greenberg ‘14 and Molly Hemes’14 at third doubles got the Knights off to a strong start.
After UST secured the win at second singles to bring the match to square, the Knights ran the table in the remaining singles contests. Greenberg began the rally with a convincing 6-4, 6-2 win. Next up was Becich, capturing her second win of the day, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 at third singles. The fifth and deciding point was earned by Hemes in a hotly contested three-set match at fourth singles. The 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 final gave the Knights the match win.
In the St. Olaf contest Anne Lombardi ‘14 led the way with victories in both first singles and first doubles play. Ranked No. 11 in the region, Lombardi won 7-5, 6-3 over the Oles’ Alisa Hall in singles and joined Joyce Yu ‘16 in doubles to take a 8-5 victory. Yu also took her singles match without dropping a game 6-0, 6-0.
Claire Spencer ‘16 was a winner at second singles. After dropping the first set 2-6, she rallied to take the next set, 6-3, and prevailed in the third-set tiebreaker, 12-10.
Greenberg and Hemes took the third doubles match, 8-0. This duo has teamed to win eight of its last nine matches. Greenberg was also a winner at sixth singles 7-5, 6-1 and improves to 10-1 on the season when facing D-III opponents. Hemes did her part as well with a 6-0, 6-2 sweep of fourth singles.
Other winners Monday included Becich and Davis at second doubles, 8-1, with Becich later adding a singles win at 6-2, 6-1.
Carleton will next host Luther College on Thursday April 17. The non-conference tilt will start at 3:45pm at the Bell Field Courts.
