| Goshen, IN — The Goshen College women’s tennis program opened its 2007 season in traditional fashion Saturday, taking a fourh-place finish at the annual Goshen College Doubles Invitational.
Organized as a six-team, double-elimination tournament, Goshen recorded five total points on the day, falling to Huntington University and Taylor University’s eight points and Grace College’s six points. The finish was Goshen’s lowest in the four-year history of the event, though head coach Sarah Yoder said she was encouraged in her team’s first intercollegiate outing of any kind for the ’07 year.
Balance was at the top of the list, as Goshen’s scoring breakdown came as two points at number one doubles, two at the number two slot and one from number three doubles.
“We always enjoy starting with this event,” Yoder said. “It is a good way for us to get some competition and see future opponents without the pressure of a dual match. We will see all of these teams later this season and it was nice to get a preview. All of my teams were playing together for the first time so I think this was a good test for us to see where we are at, what we are doing well, and what we need to improve as we move into conference matches next week.”
Top returning seniors Diana Diaz and Laurelyn Foderaro anchored Goshen’s number one doubles team, defeating teams from Anderson University and the University of St. Francis (8-4 and 8-6, respectively) before dropping a 5-8 decision to Huntington and a 4-8 decision to Taylor.
Freshman Rachel Lanctot teamed with classmate Alyssa Dewig at the number two spot to secure a wins over St. Francis while falling to Huntington. The tandem spit a two-match series to Grace, coming up on either side of 8-5 decisions.
Goshen’s final point was secured by senior Janie Beck and junior Amanda Weybright at the number three position. That duo defeated St. Francis’ Andrea Christlieb and Nicole Cress by a 9-7 count.
Huntington captured a share of its second straight Goshen College Doubles Invitational Championship, while Goshen could not duplicate its runner-up finishes of the last two seasons. Prior to those results, the Leafs had rattled off three consecutive season-opening doubles titles, winning two at Manchester College (2002 and 2003) and the inaugural Gosehn College Doubles Invitational in 2004.
Goshen took fourth out of the six-team invite this weekend via Anderson and the University of St. Francis failing to secure any points.
The Leafs will open the dual-match portion of its schedule on Tuesday, when the squad hosts Mid-Central Conference rival — and weekend co-champion — Taylor University. Match time is slated to begin at 4 p.m. at the Goshen College Tennis Complex.
Team Scoring Results:
Huntington - 8 points
Taylor - 8 pts
Grace - 6 points
Goshen - 5 points
St. Francis - 0 points
Anderson - 0 points
Goshen Match Results:
#1 Doubles:
Diana Diaz and Laurelyn Foderaro
def. Rachel Koontz and Rachel Makin (Anderson): 8-4
def. Krista Van Lue and Renee Shetterly (St. Francis): 8-6
lost to Steph Strong and Raelyn Altoff (Huntington): 5-8
lost to Kristin Goeke and Katie Marsh (Taylor): 4-8
#2 Doubles:
Rachel Lanctot and Alyssa Dewing
def. Andrea Yoder and Barbara Maher (St. Francis) 9-7
def. Grace: 8-5
lost to Kendra Gantz and Jessica Deter (Huntington) 1-8
lost to Grace 5-8
#3 Doubles:
Janie Beck and Amanda Weybright
lost to Kelly King and Katie Mathers (Taylor) 2-8
def. Andrea Christieb and Nicole Cress (St. Franics) 9-7
lost to Kelly King and Katie Mathers (Taylor) 5-8
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Senior
Diana Diaz