Goshen, IN — With the Mid-Central Conference composite schedule beginning last Tuesday, the Goshen College women’s tennis team — with its bye date coming before any other league opponent’s — could only sit and watch.

They appeared hungry to get going Saturday morning.

Using another outstanding doubles performance to start the day and clutch singles play to end it, Goshen (1-0, 1-0) took a dramatic, 5-4 win over league foe Grace College Saturday morning at the Goshen College Tennis Complex, opening MCC play with a surge. A full roster and strong desire to finally face league competition fueled the win according to second-year head coach Sarah Yoder, who helped vindicate a 4-5 season-opening loss to Grace last year.

“What a great opening match for us,” Yoder said. “Conference play began last Tuesday, but we started with the bye. After reading the results from everyone else’s matches, we were ready to get this season going. We were ready for a match today and everyone came out to play.”

‘Everyone’ on Saturday included junior ace Diana Diaz, who missed the Leafs’ annual doubles invitational one week earlier due to illness (click here for related article). Facing the same Grace squad just one week earlier, Goshen again took a 2-1 advantage in the doubles matches, this time winning at the number one (Diaz and senior Hannah Gingerich) and number two (senior Katie Martin, junior Laurelyn Foderaro) slots.

“We had gotten a glimpse of Grace last weekend at our doubles invitational, and that helped us prepare,” Yoder said. “Laurelyn and Katie played exceptional doubles this morning. Laurelyn’s strong serve set the pace and Katie was all over the net looking for volleys and overheads to put away. They were both aggressive and looked for every opportunity to take control of the net. Their 8-1 win put us on the board first right away. Hannah and Diana finished soon afterwards with a strong 8-4 win as well. (Sophomore) Janie Beck and (senior) Erin Gotwals battled hard and stayed neck and neck at number three doubles, but in the end Grace was just a little sharper and was able to secure the point.”

Taking a 2-1 lead, Yoder’s squad knew the importance of capturing at least three of the six singles slots to take the team win, and that was exactly what the team got. Following a blowout performance by Foderaro at the number two position, Goshen picked up a big come-from-behind win from Gingerich at the three slot, taking a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Grace’s Kyla Zenan.

“Laurelyn played solid, smart tennis and took care of a very solid player all-conference player at number two singles to start us off,” Yoder said. “She adjusted her game and really isolated (Grace’s Anna) Metz’s weaknesses. Hannah lost a close first set at number three singles, but she regrouped, changed her strategy and won two convincing 6-2, 6-2 sets for the win. I was very pleased with her willingness to try tactics she doesn’t normally use. Her versatility and raw desire were too much for her tired opponent to handle.”

Needing the necessary third point, the match came down to senior Erin Gotwals match at number six singles. After Diaz and Marting each dropped disappointing matches at number one and four singles, respectively, it was up to Gotwals to save the day.

Despite missing last season due to studies abroad, Gotwals delivered in monster fashion, taking care of Grace’s Natalie Rummel in a 7-5, 6-3 decision to tip the overall scales in favor of Goshen.

“Erin came up big for us at the number six singles position today,” Yoder said. “Returning this season after missing all of last year’s season for studying abroad, she has helped add depth to our lineup. Her match consisted of two extremely close sets, but she won the important points and was able to secure our first team win of the season.”

Yoder may have wished her team’s bye didn’t arrive so soon, as Goshen now begins a four-week whirlwind tour of the MCC. The Leafs won’t have much time to savor this win, as arch-rival Bethel College is scheduled to visit the Goshen College Tennis Complex Tuesday for the team’s next league matchup. Match time is set for 3:30 p.m.

UPDATE: Tuesday’s match versus Bethel College was postponed to Friday, Sept. 15 due to inclement weather in the area. The match will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Singles:
#1 Julie Wegener (Gr) def. Diana Diaz (Go): 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
#2 Laurelyn Foderaro (Go) def. Anna Metz (Gr): 6-1, 6-2
#3 Hannah Gingerich (Go) def. Kyla Zenan (Gr): 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
#4 Kayla Semmerling (Gr) def. Katie Martin (Go): 6-3, 6-3
#5 Julie Linton (Gr) def Hannah Groff (Go): 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
#6 Erin Gotwals (Go) def. Natalie Rummel (Gr): 7-5, 6-3
Doubles:
#1 Gingerich/Diaz (Go) def. Wegener/Zenan (Gr): 8-4
#2 Foderaro/Martin (Go) def. Metz/Brandy Allen (Gr): 8-1
#3 Semmerling/Linton (Gr) def. Gotwals/Janie Beck (Go) 8-6