By FHSU Sports Information
PUEBLO, Co. – The Fort Hays State women’s tennis team took a trip out west for three matches at Pueblo City Park. At the completion, the Tigers concluded with a 1-2 record on the weekend against opponents in Colorado Mesa, CSU-Pueblo and Metro State. With the outcomes, the Tigers even out to 2-2 on the season through four matches.
Sept. 14 – Fort Hays State (0), Colorado Mesa (7)
The first match of the weekend was a Friday night battle against Colorado Mesa. The Tigers were unable to get on the board as Mesa would take the 7-0 win over Fort Hays State. The duo of Natalie Lubbers and Lauren Lindell captured a 9-7 win over Kristen Kirby and Emily Beckley to start things off in the match. However, Mesa would claim the next two doubles matches including an 8-4 decision by Maike Waldurger and Georgia Hansen over Tigers Nicole Lubbers and Laura Jimenez-Lendinez and a 9-7 win by Taylor Hershey and Rebecca Osterberg over Ellea Ediger and Haley Weidemann.
Singles play saw Mesa sweep the Tigers as Kirby, Beckley, Osterberg, Hansen, Campos and Simons all captured wins over their Tiger opponents in Jimenez-Lendinez, Natalia Lubbers, Ediger, Lindell, Nicole Lubbers and Weidemann.
Sept. 15 – Fort Hays State (6), CSU-Pueblo (1)
The Tigers picked up their second win on the season Saturday morning with a 6-1 win over CSU-Pueblo. Fort Hays State swept doubles play starting with an 8-2 win by Natalie Lubbers and Lindell over Nia Matthews and Kali Hamilton. The duo of Nicole Lubbers and Ellea Ediger took the 8-0 shutout over Sarah Megilligan and Garduno de la Vega before another 8-0 shutout by Jimenez-Lendinez.
Singles play saw both Lubbers, Ediger, Lindell and Weidemann claiming their matches. The lone win in singles for the ThunderWolves went to Matthews who took a 6-4, 6-2 decision over Jimenez-Lendinez.
Sept. 15 – Fort Hays State (2), MSU Denver (4)
Fort Hays State ended the weekend with a close decision against Metro State Denver, but fell short as the Roadrunners claimed the 4-2 victory over the Tigers. With the loss, Fort Hays State ended the weekend at 1-2 while boosting their overall record in the fall season to .500 at 2-2.
In doubles, the Tigers took two matches, starting with No. 1 doubles of Lindell and Natalie Lubbers claiming the 8-6 win over Alex Pessoa and Helena Steenberg. The No. 3 duo of Jimenez-Lendinez and Weidemann also earned a victory in a default win. The Roadrunners team of Tabitha Porter and Mackenzie Hotan defeated Nicole Lubbers and Ediger in an 8-4 decision.
Nicole Lubbers led the Tigers in singles as she earned a No. 3 spot win by default. For the Roadrunners, Porter, Pessoa, Steenberg and Hotan earned singles wins over their Fort Hays State opponents to help Metro State Denver claim the 4-2 win over FHSU.
The Tigers will be back in action in two weeks as they travel to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the 2018 ITA Fall Central Regional. At the conclusion of that event, the fall season will come to an end for Fort Hays State.