FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State tennis improved to 4-2 overall on the season by posting a 7-2 in its home opener over Kansas Wesleyan on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 17) at the FHSU Tennis Courts in Hays. The Tigers swept doubles play to take a 3-0 lead, then took four of the six singles matches.

The Tigers breezed through doubles action. The No. 1 team of Camille Caron-Bedard and Reinette Strydom won 8-4 over Zimmerman and Cook. The No. 2 team of Brittney Ricci and Katie Hipp nearly posted a shutout, winning 8-1 over Koester and Zuaznabar. Michelle Miller and Jessica Johnson nearly matched that score at No. 3, winning 8-2 over Noel and Hasch.

In singles action, the Tigers moved players up in order to keep Caron-Bedard and Ricci rested for the ITA Fall Regional, coming this weekend in Springfield, Mo. Taylor Stout at No. 4 and Jessica Johnson at No. 5 quickly took care of business in their matches to give the Tigers the decisive five points needed for the win. Stout shutout her opponent, 6-0, 6-0, while Johnson won 6-2, 6-3.

The rest of the singles matches were competitive. At No. 6, Raven Dick pulled through in a tight first set to win 7-5, then cruised in the second 6-1. FHSU received its other point in the longest singles match of the night as Katie Hipp won 2-6, 6-2, 10-7 at No. 3.

The Coyotes picked up their two points from the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches. At No. 1, Michelle Miller had a great opening set, blanking her opponent Amber Zimmerman 6-0, but Zimmerman turned the tables in the second to win 6-2 and then took the decisive set 10-5. At No. 2, Reinette Strydom fell in straight sets by the same score twice, 6-4, 6-4 to Cassidy Cook.

As a team, the Tigers return to action on September 28 at home against Hastings College at 2 pm. Caron-Bedard and Ricci will compete individually in the ITA Fall Regional this weekend in Springfield, Mo.