Tigers drop final conference match to Lopers

Fort Hays State tennis fell by a score of 7-2 to Nebraska-Kearneyon Tuesday at the FHSU Tennis Courts in Hays. It was the final home match of the season for the Tigers as three seniors played their final matches at home. FHSU took one doubles match and one singles match for its two points against the fifth-ranked team in the Central Region.

Brittney Ricci had a great Senior Day at the courts, having a hand in both wins for the Tigers. She teamed with Katie Hipp at No. 2 doubles to win 9-7 over Paula Jimenez and Kristin Weems. She then picked up a hard-fought straight set win over Sthefani Rodriguez by scores of 7-6 (9-7), 6-4.

At No. 1 doubles, Camille Caron-Bedard and Jessica Johnson lost 8-4 to the No. 5 ranked team in the region of Emily Fink and Rodriguez. At No. 3 doubles, Reinette Strydom and Michelle Miller lost 8-1 to Emma Neil and Kari Emery.

At No. 1 singles, Caron-Bedard was only a point away from upsetting Weems, the No. 12 ranked player in the region, in the second set, but Weems fought off the point and won a game that led to a second-set tiebreak that she used to force a third set. Weems pulled away for a 10-1 win in the third set to claim the match. Caron-Bedard won the first set 6-2.

UNK (18-4, 7-2 MIAA), took all the other singles matches in straight sets. At No. 3, Miller lost to Jimenez 6-1, 6-1. At No. 4, Strydom lost to Neil 6-0, 6-0. At No. 5, Hipp had to retire in the second set against Emery. At No. 6, Johnson lost 6-0, 6-3 to Trimble.

The Tigers (11-10, 2-8 MIAA) play their final match of the regular season on April 18 at Newman University in Wichita. Match time is set for 1 p.m.