MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Baldwin Wallace University women's tennis team opened up the season with a third-place finish at the Nancy & Harvey Heath Gator Invitational, hosted by Allegheny (Pa.) College.
BW (1-1) fell to Grove City (Pa.) College 7-2 in the opening round of the invitational tournament before defeating Westminster (Pa.) College 6-3 in the third-place match.
Against Grove City, the Yellow Jackets two points came at the hands of freshmen Ashytn Morris (Salem) and Becca Liebler (Medina). The two freshmen paired together at No. 2 doubles in their first collegiate action and pulled off an 8-6 win to give BW its first individual match win of the season. Carrying over the momentum from her doubles win, Morris also picked up a win at No. 3 singles by scores of 6-3, 7-5.
Taking on Westminster in the second match of the day, the Yellow Jackets were able to take a 2-1 lead after doubles play. Junior All-OAC player Imani Robinson (Cincinnati/School for Creative & Performing Arts) joined forces with freshman sister Jayde Robinson (Cincinnati/School for Creative and Performing Arts) at No. 1 doubles. Being sisters, the two had an advantage in knowing each other's games and used that on-the-court chemistry to cruise to an 8-3 win. Senior Shannon Finkenthal (Beachwood) paired together with freshman Emma Hubbard (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) at No. 3 doubles and worked hard for an 8-5 victory.
Four wins in singles play helped BW seal up third place. Jayde Robinson and Liebler each earned their first collegiate wins at No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, by scores of 6-0, 6-3 and 6-3, 6-2, respectively. Morris notched her third overall win of the day by a 6-2, 6-1 score at No. 3 singles. Finkenthal wrapped up the scoring with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles.
BW will next hit the courts when it competes in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Regional Tournament hosted by Oberlin College Friday through Sunday, September 22-24.
