Goshen, IN — After a season full of 5-4 wins, a pair of heartbreaking 1-8 defeats and one major 8-1 win in Mid-Central Conference play, the Goshen College women’s tennis team concluded regular season play Thursday night — and a three-match in three-day stretch — with a nondescript, 9-0 win over Anderson University.

The win, while impressive, had no bearing on the team’s seeding for the upcoming MCC Tournament and was not close at any position. What it did have, according to Goshen head coach Sarah Yoder, was the power to head the Leafs off to the conference championships on the right foot.

“This match was a great way to close out the regular season,” Yoder said following the tough three-day stretch. “I was a little concerned about energy levels today, since it was our third match three days, but my worry was in vain. Everyone showed up ready to play. Before the match I told the team I wanted wins at all nine positions and they took my challenge to heart. This win gives us confidence in every position as we head into conference tournament next week.”

Goshen (7-3, 6-3) took straight set wins at every singles position Thursday, and gave up just five games in 8-2, 8-1 and 8-2 wins in doubles competition. Doubles play opened the match, and Yoder said she was pleased with her team’s determination from the outset.

We had a really strong start in doubles,” she said. “Several matches this season we have started out sluggish and slow in doubles and it has hurt us. With an eight game proset it is imperative to start strong. You just don’t have a lot of time for a comeback with only one extended set. All three positions were ready to go from the first point.”

That dominance continued into singles play, where Goshen took 75 out of a total 104 games played throughout the lineup. Most notable were wins at number two (senior Hannah Gingerich won 6-2, 6-0), number three (junior Diana Diaz won 6-1, 6-0) and number five (freshman Hannah Groff won 6-3, 6-3).

“The momentum gained from a strong doubles start carried over into our singles play,” Yoder said. “We won all six positions in straight sets. Diana, Hannah Gingerich and Hannah Groff looked especially sharp. (Junior) Laurelyn (Foderaro), (senior) Katie (Martin) and (senior) Erin Gotwals all fought hard for close first sets and then proceeded to dominate in their second sets.”

Yoder will now take her squad back to the practice courts for a week, as the team opens MCC Tournament play next Thursday. Goshen’s 6-3 MCC regular-season mark was good enough for a fourth seed, giving the squad a legitimate shot at qualifying for NAIA regional competition for the fifth time in six years.

“We will take a few days off completely to rest and reenergize,” Yoder said. “All focus now shifts to tournament. We finish the season in fourth place and are excited about fighting for the third spot in (the tournament). The top two teams from season receive automatic bids to regionals (Indiana Wesleyan University and Marian College) and the third qualifier is decided at tournament. It should be exciting.”

Goshen had advanced to regional play in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 but failed to qualify last season, finishing fifth in the MCC Tournament. That concluded a stellar personal streak for Yoder, who qualified for regional play in each of her four seasons as a Leafs’ player. Those four years remain as the only times in the program’s 34-year history that a Goshen team has qualified for regional play.

The Leafs will begin post-season action next Thursday at Fort Wayne Concordia High School. Initial match times are set to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Singles:
#1 Laurelyn Foderaro (G) def Kerry Lennartz (A): 7-5, 6-0
#2 Hannah Gingerich (G) def Rachel Makin (A): 6-2, 6-0
#3 Diana Diaz (Goshen) def. Mandy Hackney (A): 6-1, 6-0
#4 Katie Martin (G) def. Kay Wordeon (A): 7-5, 6-3
#5 Hannah Groff (G) def. Emily Thompson (A): 6-3, 6-3
#6 Erin Gotwals (G) def. Jessie Rigby (A): 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
Doubles:
#1 Foderaro/Gingerich (G) def. Lennartz/Hackney (A): 8-2
#2 Diaz/Martin (G) def. Worden/Makin (A): 8-1
#3 Gotwals/Janie Beck (G) def. Rigby/Neal (A): 8-2
Exhibition Matches:
Amanda Weybright/Groff (G) def. Jay/Thompson (A): 8-3
Laura Jay (A) def. Arienne Johnson (G): 8-3
Breanna Nickel (G) def. Dani Neal (A): 6-4, 6-4