FHSU Sports Information Department
GREAT BEND, Kan. – Fort Hays State Tennis moved to 8-4 overall and 0-2 in the MIAA after falling 5-0 to Central Oklahoma on Saturday (Mar. 11) at the Club 1 Fitness Indoor Facility in Great Bend, Kan. Originally scheduled for Hays, inclement weather forced the match to be played indoors in Great Bend. The coaches agreed to call the match once a team reached the clinching fifth point.
Fort Hays State was very close to holding a one-point lead going into singles but ultimately dropped all three doubles matches. At the No. 1 position, Natalie Lubbers and Lauren Lindell put a scare into the region’s No. 8 ranked team of Ali Hodges and Kirtana Bhat and fell by just two, 8-6. The No. 3 team of Jessica Johnson and Nicole Lubbers forced a win-by-two situation in their match but fell 9-7. Even the No. 2 team of Macy Moyers and Laura Jimenez-Lendinez generated a fair amount of points in an 8-3 loss.
Central Oklahoma needed just two wins to clinch the dual victory and picked them up in the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches. Hodges and Bhat, both regionally ranked won over Jimenez-Lendinez and Natalie Lubbers respectively. Hodges, the No. 1 player for UCO, is also nationally ranked at No. 43 in the nation. At No. 3, Lindell was dead even with her opponent at 5-5 in the first set before the dual was clinched.
The Tigers continue conference play next weekend (Mar. 17-18) at Emporia State and Washburn.