Cyclone tennis drops final matches of year

Jayadev Athreya

The Iowa State tennis teams fell twice over the weekend, losing to Colorado, 9-0, on Sunday and to Nebraska, 8-1, on Saturday in Lincoln.

In Saturday’s action, Nebraska won the first 8 matches before ISU gained a point at No. 3 doubles, where Mary Rumbaoa and Andrean Simons won by forfeit, 1-0.

Andrean Simons moved to No. 3 for the second time this year, and Edna Vazquez moved to No. 2. Simons played close but fell 7-5, 6-1, while Vazquez lost 6-0, 6-3.

Nebraska dominated the other singles, as they did not drop a set. ISU challenged in the first two doubles, as Noortje Cornelissen and Karin Westberg fell 8-3 at No. 1, and Edna Vazquez and Kendra Leese lost by an identical score at No. 2

Against Colorado, ISU did not win a match, and were swept 9-0. ISU was swept in the singles matches and did not win a set. Mary Rumboa sent the second set of her match into a tiebreak before falling 6-2, 7-6, at No. 5 singles.

ISU did keep the doubles matches close, as Cornelissen and Westberg fell 8-3 at No. 1, Vazquez and Leese fell 8-4 at No. 2, and Simons and Rumbaoa fell at No. 3 by the score of 8-3.

It was the final Big 12 match for ISU this season and the final Big 12 match of the careers of ISU seniors Rumbaoa and Simons. ISU finished the Big 12 campaign 0-11.

ISU concluded the season with an 8-1 loss to Drake. The Cyclones’ lone win was at No. 2 doubles, when Leese and Vazquez defeated Emma Edvardsson and Melissa Emmons, 8-6.

ISU seniors Rumbaoa and Simons, playing their final dual meets, took their matches to three sets before falling. Simons, playing at No. 2 once again, dominated the first set against Rajasree Kuruvilla but lost 0-6, 7-5, 6-2. Rumbaoa took her third set to a tiebreaker but lost 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 to Melissa Emmons in No. 5.

In doubles, Noortje Cornelissen and Karin Westberg lost to Cecily Dubusker and Kuruvilla in a close No. 1 match, 9-7. Leese and Vazquez then claimed ISU’s lone victory before Rumbaoa and Simons lost to Sarah Blain and Daria Kotchoubinskaya 8-3 in No. 3.

ISU’s next meet is the Big 12 Championships in College Station, Texas, on April 29.