Box Score
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – The Marian University women's tennis squad competed a player down this afternoon and dropped a narrow, 6-3, decision to visiting Ripon College in the season opener at Buttermilk Creek Park.
The Sabres came away with one-of-three doubles matches and just two singles competitions in the defeat. Rachel Stoffell and Melissa Spannbauer teamed up to record a 9-7 doubles win before taking each of their singles matches to lead the Sabres despite the loss.
Ripon improved to 1-0, while the Sabres dropped to 0-1.
At #1 singles, Brynn Hartzell battled back after a first set loss to return the favor against Ripon's Elizabeth Ake. However, Ake outlasted her counterpart by running away in the third and decisive set to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-0.
Stoffell defeated Monica Schilling 6-0, 6-2, while Spannbauer also came away with the convincing win by going away 6-0, 6-1.
Robyn Cords and Ahtyanna Lyons dropped their matches at #2 and #5 singles, respectively, while Ripon's Maura Slattery won by default at #6 singles.
The Sabres will be back in action tomorrow as they take on Dominican in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match-up at Fond du Lac High School at 10 a.m. The 2 p.m. match against Concordia Chicago has been postponed. No make-up date has been announced.
