MARSHALL, Texas – It was a very competitive day at Veterans Memorial Tennis Complex as the East Texas Baptist University women's tennis team hosted both #26 Southwestern University and #14 Trinity University in the final home matches of the year. ETBU fought hard in both matches but fell, 6-3, to Southwestern, and 7-2, to Trinity University.
#26 Southwestern 6, ETBU 3
Facing their first nationally ranked opponent of the day, and a top 11 regional match up, Southwestern took a 2-1 lead after doubles. ETBU won the no.2 doubles match as Tiffany Stankiewicz and Elisa Kendall defeated Julie Swets and Megan Hawkins, 8-4. Stankiewicz and Kendall are ranked 15th in the latest regional poll for ETBU. In no.1 doubles, Kate Bramlett and Kaliegh Smith battled Mary Cardone and Anna Schneemann in a top 10 regional match. Cardone and Schneeman held off ETBU, 8-5. Jabree McClaine and Ashley Schenck lost at no.3 doubles, 8-3.
In singles play, ETBU won just two matches at no.1 and no.4. Bramlett (no.22 regionally), in a top 25 regional match, topped Taite Drews-Jones (no.16 regionally), 6-4, 6-2. Smith then won the no.4 singles match, 6-4, 6-3, for the third point of the match.
#14 Trinity 7, ETBU 2
In their second nationally ranked match of the day, ETBU again played their best but came up short against a talented Trinity team. ETBU took one singles and one doubles match on the day.
In doubles, Bramlett and Smith (no.8 regionally) upset Marie Lutz and Zoe Kaffen (no.5 regionally), 8-3. At no.2 doubles, ETBU lost a heartbreaker, 9-8, as Stankiewicz and Kendall fell in a tiebreaker.
Kendall then upset #30 Lutz (no.15th regionally), 6-4, 6-4, at no.3 singles for ETBU's other point.
ETBU has three matches left in regular season with all of them on the road as they travel to LeTourneau University next weekend.
