BELTON, Texas – Lewis & Clark College women's tennis opened their spring season with singles wins at the fifth and sixth positions, but it wasn't enough to overcome an early deficit as the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor secured a 5-2 non-conference victory on Friday afternoon at the Yvonne Li Tennis Center.

THE BASICS

Mary Hardin-Baylor 5, Lewis & Clark 2
(Lewis & Clark 0-1)
(Mary Hardin-Baylor 1-0)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Seniors Hayley Kreps and Kacie Lau earned victories at fifth and sixth singles, securing the Pioneers' two points in the final matches of the day. Kreps battled to a three-set win at No. 5 singles, defeating Emily Higgs 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. At No. 6 singles, Lau closed out the competition with a 6-2, 6-3 straight-set victory over Abbie Hughes.

Mary Hardin-Baylor took control early, sweeping all three doubles matches by scores of 6-1 to earn the lone doubles point. For the 2024-25 season, the ITA and NCAA are piloting a seven-point dual-match scoring format for Division III, in which the team that wins two of three doubles matches earns one overall point.

At No. 1 singles, junior Susanna Anand played a close first set, losing by just one break, 6-4, before dropping the second set 6-2.

In the No. 2 spot, sophomore Maya Curry fell 6-0, 6-4 to Lori Bryan, securing the dual-match win for the Crusaders.

In the remaining two matches, sophomore Charlotte Makoni dropped a straight-set decision to Jolin Ha, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 3 singles. First-year Taylor Stadjuhar played a competitive collegiate dual-match debut at No. 4 singles, pushing Bailee Lane to 7-5 in the second set after falling 6-3 in the first.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Kreps is on a two-match singles win streak after winning her final match last spring.
• This is the first time since the 2013 season the women's team has completed a dual in Texas. The team was scheduled for two matches in 2019, but they were canceled due to weather.
• After the 2024 Fall ITAs, Anand earned a national ranking from the ITA and entered the spring as the No. 32 singles player in NCAA Division III. She is one of three Northwest Conference women ranked nationally and the second-highest-ranked player in the conference.

WHO'S NEXT

The Pioneers continue their Texas road trip on Saturday with two matches in San Antonio. Lewis & Clark faces nationally-ranked #14 Trinity College at 8 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. CT, they then travel to St. Mary's University to take on Schreiner University at 1 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. CT.