The No. 18 Grand Valley State women's tennis team earned its 20th win on the season, after they defeated Division I opponent Valparaiso, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon in Griffith, Indiana. GVSU now holds a 20-3 record, as they extend its winning streak to three straight matches, while Valpo drops to 5-7 on the season.
Playing Division I rules, doubles competition counts only as one point towards the team score, meaning whoever wins at least two double matches win the point. GVSU earned the point as they took two out three doubles matches.
In doubles competition,
Madison Ballard and
Nicole Heiniger defeated Randi Wind and Halle Roach, 6-1 from the No. 2 pairing, as
Aimee Moccia and
Alexa Sweeney fell 6-4 at No.1 doubles. The Lakers picked up the point from No. 3 doubles, as
Livia Christman and
Abby Perkins claimed a 7-5 victory over Dao Sysouvanh and Jordan Kopfer.
In singles actions, the Lakers continued to win as Heiniger won 6-1, 6-2, from No. 6 singles, followed by another point for GVSU from
Olivia Hanover after she won from No. 5 singles by a score of 6-0, 6-1. Perkins tallied point for the Lakers as she won 6-4, 6-3 from the No. 4 slot, and Moccia won in three sets at the No. 3 position after she dropped the first set 5-7, but came back won the next two sets 7-6 (7-3), 10-3. Ballard and Sweeney both battled hard from the No. 1 and No. 2 singles position, but fell in three sets. Ballard was defeated in a long three set match after she dropped the first set 6-4, came back in the second set and won 7-6 (7-5), but fell 12-10 in the third set. Sweeney dropped the first set 6-3, won the second set 6-3, and fell in the third 10-5.
Grand Valley State's next matches will be on the road against Indiana (Pa.) and Wilmington on Saturday (Apr. 7) and Sunday (Apr. 8) in Cleveland Ohio.
