Women's Tennis Drops Nationally-Ranked Showdown to North Central in Midwest Invitational Finale

Pictured, sophomore Hope Rhoades

Box Score The Hope College women's tennis capped a competitive Midwest Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, this weekend with a 6-3 loss to nationally-ranked North Central College (Ill.) on Saturday.

The 32nd-ranked Flying Dutch fell to 13-5 on the season.

Hope went 1-2 in the tournament, with a 5-4 win over 38th-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater and a 5-4 loss to Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Friday.

Against No. 37 North Central, the Flying Dutch encountered tough sledding early with difficult doubles matches.

At first doubles, sophomore Amanda Lopykinski (Lemont, Illinois / Lemont Township HS) and junior Sullivan Moran (Birmingham, Michigan / Wylie E. Groves) lost 8-4 to snap the pair's eight-match winning streak.

At second doubles, junior Miyako Coffey (Cedar Rapids, Iowa / Xavier) and senior Annika Weeber (Rockford, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian) battled but bowed out in an 8-7 (7-5).

At third doubles, freshmen Madison Wei (Parker, Colorado / Regis Jesuit) and Phoebe Walker (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City) lost 8-5.

The Orange and Blue found their swing and split the six singles matches.

Weeber picked up a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win at third singles.

Wei also returned to winning as she rolled 6-2, 6-2 at fifth singles.

Sophomore Hope Rhoades (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) took home the team's third win of the day at sixth singles, 6-4, 6-4.

At the top flight, Lopykinski fell 6-0, 6-4 to North Central's Abigail Penados, who was ranked 9th in the region. Lopykinski defeated two regionally-ranked opponents on Friday.

Moran fell at second singles, 6-3, 6-4.

Coffey lost 6-1, 6-1 at fourth singles.

The Flying Dutch return home for an MIAA matchup against Saint Mary's College on Wednesday, April 10, at 4 p.m.

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