ORLANDO, Fla. - Saint Mary's College Tennis took both matches on their final day in Florida, defeating Wheaton College, 4-3, and taking down the University of Minnesota-Morris, 7-0. The Belles improve to 10-5 on the year as they close out Spring Break play.
Saint Mary's vs Wheaton
Doubles
Wheaton got out to a quick start at the number one doubles match before senior Evelyn Demblans-Dechans (Missoula, MT) and junior Sophia Pischalko (Granger, IN) earned a big 6-2 win at number two. Junior Anna Gardner (Houston, TX) and sophomore Odessa Norton (Carmel, IN) followed with a strong 6-3 win at the number three match to claim the doubles point for the Belles.
Singles
Demblans-Dechans started off singles play for the Belles with a dominating 6-0 6-3 win at number four. The Thunder then battled back to take singles matches five and two to tie the match at 2-2. Senior Emma Kealy (Hudson, OH) gave the Belles the lead right back with a big three set win at the number one match, 3-6 6-1 10-7. Sophomore Shannon Dudy (Glenview, IL) followed that up with a match clinching victory at number three, 6-3 7-6 (10-5). The Thunder would close out the match with a win at number six but it wasn't enough as the Belles pulled off the 4-3 victory.
Saint Mary's vs Minnesota Morris
Doubles
The Belles kicked off doubles play with a straight set sweep at number two as Gardner and Norton earned a 6-0 win. Demblans Dechans and Kealy then followed that up at the number one match to claim the doubles point, as the senior duo earned a 6-1 win. Sophomore Lanie Brant (Stevensville, MI) and freshman Mia Graziano (Western Springs, IL) earned a win by forfeit at number three.
Singles
Dudy and Gardner kicked off singles play with back-to-back 6-0 6-0 wins at the numbers one and two matches. Pischalko then earned a 6-2 6-2 win at the number three match to claim the match victory for Saint Mary's. Graziano and freshman Raelynn Pickup (Thornton, CO) both earned 6-0 6-1 wins at the numbers four and five matches. The win for Pickup was her first collegiate dual match singles victory. Brant earned a win at number six by forfeit to close out the day.
UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES
Saint Mary's returns from their spring break trip to take on North Park University on Wednesday, March 18, at South Shore in St. Joe, MI. The Belles then kick off MIAA play with back-to-back matches on March 27 and 28 as they travel to Albion College on the 27th and Alma College on the 28th.
Match Results
Saint Mary's vs Wheaton
Doubles
1: Gentry/Thurstone def. Emma Kealy/Shannon Dudy 6-1
2: Evelyn Demblans-Dechans/Sophia Pischalko def. Kondo/Malone 6-2
3: Anna Gardner/Odessa Norton def. O'Leary/Dew 6-2
Singles
1: Emma Kealy def. Gentry 3-6 6-1 10-7
2: Thurstone def. Anna Gardner 6-4 6-4
3: Shannon Dudy def. Malone 6-3 7-6 (10-5)
4: Evelyn Demblans-Dechans def. Kondo 6-0 6-3
5: Dew def. Sophia Pischalko 6-2 6-4
6: Luo def. Lanie Brant 7-5 6-7 (4-10) 11-9
Saint Mary's vs Minnesota Morris
Doubles
1: Evelyn Demblans-Dechans/Emma Kealy def. Muller/Wynne 6-1
2: Anna Gardner/Odessa Norton def. Kelm/Davis 6-0
3: Lanie Brant/Mia Graziano won by forfeit
Singles
1: Shannon Dudy def. Muller 6-0 6-0
2: Anna Gardner def. Mireles 6-0 6-0
3: Sophia Pischalko def. Wynne 6-2 6-2
4: Mia Graziano def. Kelm 6-0 6-1
5: Raelynn Pickup def. Davis 6-0 6-1
6: Lanie Brant won by forfeit
