MARSHALL, Texas – Competing against two regional opponents, the East Texas Baptist University women's tennis team came out on top both times on Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Tennis Complex. ETBU topped Hardin-Simmons (Texas) University, 8-1, and later bested McMurry (Texas) University, 8-1, to close out the day.
Hardin-Simmons entered the day ranked No. 15 in the West Region per the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's rankings for NCAA Division III, while McMurry ranks No. 12.
Against Hardin-Simmons, ETBU swept through the three doubles flights. Kayla Casey and Kate Bramlett claimed the top-seeded doubles match over Hannah Smith and Jenna Smith, 8-1. In the No. 2 doubles match, Elizabeth Morton and Tiffany Stankiewicz prevailed against Jasmine Briant and Shayne Cook, 9-7. At the No. 3 flight, Jabree McClaine and Sierra Pizarro edged Michaela Ellison and Laura Weinheimer by an 8-6 score.
Moving along into the singles matches, Casey bested Ellison in No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-1, while Stankiewicz won her No. 3 singles match against Hannah Smith, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. McClaine was victorious at No. 4 singles over Jenna Smith, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, and Pizarro topped Sabra Zullo in the No. 5 flight, 6-0, 6-3. At the No. 6 match, Kellie Cawthon defeated Kacie Berutti by a 6-4, 6-0 margin.
To cap a 2-0 day, ETBU later edged McMurry by an 8-1 score.
In No. 1 doubles, Bramlett and Casey swept Madison Hathorn and Chloe Patterson, 8-0. Morton and Stankiewicz paired up and topped Bree Brosig and Samantha Ritz, 8-1, at the No. 2 flight, and McClaine and Pizarro swept their competition in the third-seeded match, 8-0.
Further along in singles competition, Casey defeated Patterson in the top-seeded flight, 6-0, 6-0, while Stankiewicz was a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Brosig in the No. 2 match. At the No. 3 slot, McClaine bested Ritz, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, and Pizarro won her No. 4-seeded match against Symphony Munoz by a 6-1, 6-3 score. In the No. 5 match, Cawthon was a 6-3, 6-0 winner over Hathorn.
ETBU competes next on Feb. 5 against Centenary (La.) College, 2 p.m., once again on its home courts.
