The Iowa State women’s tennis team claimed its first dual meet on Friday, February 12th, defeating Gustavus Adolphus 6-3 at the Ames Racquet and Fitness Club.

Cyclone Coach Michele Conlon said that “it always feels good to win” and that Gustavus Adolphus’s Division 3 status was not indicative of their quality.

“I do think that Gustavus had one of the best teams they have had in a while. They should be given a lot of credit for their persistence throughout their matches — they never gave up.”

The Cyclones opened the match with five consecutive wins. Noortje Cornelissen defeated Erica Hanson 6-2, 6-4 in No. 1 singles. Andrean Simons also won in straight sets, defeating Meghan Donley 6-1, 7-5 in No. 2 singles.

Edna Vazquez took three sets to defeat Laura Beduhn 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in No. 3 singles. Kendra Leese and Mary Rumboa also claimed three set wins, as Leese defeated Kara Jorgenson 0-6, 6-1, 6-0 in No. 4, and Rumboa defeated Ellen Anderson 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 in No. 5.

Coach Conlon was particularly pleased with Leese’s comeback, saying “I named her the Player of the Meet because of her comeback. One of the most difficult challenges as a tennis player is to lose a set 6-0 and remain mentally tough enough to comeback and win. She was calm, she was focused and stayed with her game and not only got back in the match, but dominated the next 2 sets.”

The lone Gustavus Adolphus win in singles came at the no. 6 slot, as Kristin Donley defeated Karin Westberg in a close 1-6, 7-6, 6-4 match.

The tables turned somewhat in the doubles matches, as the Gusties took two out of three from the Cyclones.

ISU’s win came at No. 2, as Noortje Cornelissen and Kendra Leese defeated Laura Beduhn and Ellen Anderson 8-4.

The ‘Clones lost the other two doubles matches by identical scores of 8-6, as Meghan Donley and Kara Jorgenson defeated ISU’s Simons and Vazquez, and Rumboa and Whitaker fell to the Gusties pair of Donley and Hanson.

Coach Conlon noted that “Our doubles continue to need work.” She said that they are “experimenting this week in practice with our combinations.”

The Cyclones do a Texas two-step this weekend, as they travel to Waco and Lubbock for a Saturday meet against the Baylor Bears and a Sunday meet against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

ISU is 0-1 in conference play, and 1-3 overall. Coach Conlon is “confident that this team will go down to Texas and play well” against opponents who will both be favored when we play them.”

She also says her players will have to react well to the conditions, noting that “it is likely the matches will be outside, so we will need to be sure to make any adjustments we need to with the weather.”