WESTERVILLE, Ohio—The Otterbein University women's tennis team concluded its fall season, sandwiching two tournaments in between a pair of dual matches.
 
The Cardinals opened the fall season with a 9-0 win at Earlham College Sept. 7 and closed it with a 5-4 decision at Cedarville University last Friday. The squad also competed at the Oberlin College Invitational Sept. 12-14 and the USTA/ITA Central Region Championships Sept. 19-22 at Kalamazoo College.
 
"It's a new team, new year for the Lady Cardinals," said Otterbein head coach Pat Anderson, who is coming off a record-setting season last spring. The Cardinals set a school record for wins, 20, and won the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) regular season and tournament championships. The team advanced into the NCAA championships for the first time in school history.
 
"We moved Sammi Kruger up to No. 1 singles and she has proven she can fill that spot." Anderson said. "Sammi partnered with Rylie Markle at No. 1 doubles, and they had a very good fall season, getting to the final of the ITA doubles back draw."
 
Kruger, who replaced four-time OAC player of the year Julie Stroyne at the top of the lineup, also advanced to the semifinals of the singles back draw at the ITA Central Regional Championships.
 
Kruger and Markle combined for a 9-2 record in doubles action over the course of the fall season. Kruger played to a 5-4 mark in singles, and Markle went 3-2.
 
Returning players Emma Krummel, Adrien Leatherwood, and Emily Harper also moved up in the lineup this fall.
 
Harper turned in winning records in singles, 3-2, and doubles, 4-2, this fall. Krummel played to a 3-3 record in singles, and 5-2 in doubles. Leatherwood, who teamed up with returnee Kerigan McNamara in seven appearances, went 5-3 in doubles action.
 
"We have a lot of work ahead of us to end up where we were last season," Anderson said. "But there isn't a group of athletes that will work any harder than this group. We have a good mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen."