Fall Season Photo Gallery
Kenyon Invite Results
Cedarville Match Results

WESTERVILLE, Ohio - The Otterbein University women's tennis team wrapped up its fall season on Tuesday with a home victory over Cedarville University, after competing in the Kenyon Invitational this past weekend.

The Cardinals, who move to 2-0 on the fall season, defeated Cedarville 7-2 in six singles matches and a trio of doubles matches. Otterbein also saw success this past weekend at Kenyon, having placed three semifinals participants and one finals participant in singles play.

"The girls really brought their 'A games' to beat Wittenberg and Cedarville," said head coach Pat Anderson. "Playing in two tournaments (Oberlin and Kenyon) against teams like Case Western Reserve, Denison, Oberlin, and Kenyon really brought out the competitive side of this team."

At Kenyon, Sammi Kruger advanced to the semifinals in Flight A over Kenyon's Annie Reiner (6-2, 6-4), before falling to Margaret Sweeney of Kenyon (6-3, 6-2). 

Flight B featured Rylie Markle's victory over Kenyon's Samantha Murphy (7-6, 6-3), before being defeated in the semifinals by Alyssa Moreau of Kenyon (6-0, 6-1). 

Adrien Leatherwood and Sophie Allen each competed in Flight C, with Leatherwood picking up the victory over Kimberly Baione of Ohio Wesleyan (6-0, 6-2). Leatherwood then fell in the semifinals to Kenyon's Claire Cohen (6-2, 6-2).

Allen was defeated in the first round, but advanced in the consolation match over Allegheny's Jasmine Burton (6-2, 7-5).

Megan Locke captured the lone finals victory on the day for the Cardinals, advancing to the decisive match and then defeating Keisha Cummings of Ohio Wesleyan (6-3, 6-1).

Sophia Navas-Davis picked up a pair of wins in rounds one and two, defeating Allie Grence of Allegheny (6-1, 6-2) and Ohio Wesleyan's Diamond Person (8-2), respectively.

Kruger and Markle were defeated in the opening round of Flight A doubles competition, but were victorious in the consolation match over Allegheny's Mikaela Pope and Heidei Mueller (8-6).

Leatherwood and Navas-Davis also competed in Flight A, dropping out of round one before outlasting Pope and Mueller of Allegheny (9-8) to capture 7th place

Flight B doubles competition featured Allen and Megan Yates, who after falling in their first two matches, claimed 7th place over Person and Cummings of Ohio Wesleyan. 

The victory over Cedarville began in singles competition as Otterbein's top four singles competitors swept their respective matchups en route to the Cards winning five of six singles matches. The Cardinals also picked up a pair of victories in doubles, claiming top spot in the No. 1 and No. 2 matches.   

The Cardinals No. 1 singles competitor Kruger defeated Lauren Jackson (6-3, 6-3), improving her fall singles record to 3-4 overall.

Markle followed in the No. 2 spot with a commanding win over Kristen Heydt (6-0, 6-1), boosting her fall mark to 5-2 overall. Leatherwood picked up the third Cardinal victory in the No. 3 spot, defeating Olivia Ancil (6-4, 6-3), evening her fall record to 3-3. 

Rounding out the Cards in singles play was No. 4 Allen, who won convicingly over Deanna Whalen (6-2, 6-2), improving to 3-4 for the fall portion of her freshman campaign; Navas-Davis was victorious in the No. 6 spot, defeating Elise Perry (6-3, 7-5), totaling a 5-1 fall record; Locke competed in the No. 5 spot, falling to Rosie Thompson (6-3, 6-0), bringing her fall record to 4-3 overall.

Otterbein's No. 1 doubles competitors featured Kruger and Markle, who defeated Jackson and Heydt (8-6), improving their overall record to 4-3 on the year.

The No. 2 match included Leatherwood and Navas-Davis, who won convincingly over Ancil and Whalen (8-2), compiling a 5-2 record for the fall portion of the schedule.

Allen and Yates teamed up in the No. 3 spot, but were outlasted by Thompson and Perry (9-7), taking them to a 2-4 overall record as a pair.

The Cardinals currently have three singles players with four or more victories this fall, including a pair with two or fewer losses. Otterbein has also compiled an impressive 9-3 record in dual singles matches and a solid 4-2 record in dual doubles matches.

Otterbein concludes the fall season at 23-17 overall in singles play and 11-10 overall in doubles play. 

Anderson noted that over the upcoming winter, it is up to the Cardinal captains to help improve the team. "The next three months the captains (Sammi Kruger and Adrien Leatherwood) take over and I know they will have the team ready to go in January."

The Cardinals will resume play in the spring season on Feb. 13 with a dual match at Oberlin, followed by a trip to Wooster on Feb. 24. Otterbein then travels to Orlando, Fla. for its Spring Break Trip, followed by a return home on Mar. 12 for two matches before Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play begins on Mar. 23.