March 30, 2012
ABILENE, Texas – Its ranks were lower than its score as nationally and regionally ranked Abilene Christian closed out the Rattlers’ women’s tennis team Thursday.
Impressively ranked sixth in the nation and first in its region, Abilene Christian (17-2) stunned the Rattlers to a 9-0 closeout win on the road. But the Rattlers (4-9, 2-3) didn’t come without swinging.
On the doubles court, duo Anita Qureshi (So., San Antonio) and Huong Huynh (Sr., Houston) gave Emily Conrad and Madelyn Walker a game, but lost the battle 8-6. Huynh stuck in her match in her singles competition with a 6-3 first set but fell as Micah Hermsdorf charged for a 6-0 second set for the Wildcat point.
Freshman Denissia Gonzalez (Houston) didn’t let the statistics of her competitor Hannah Kelley affect her game as she swung for the most Rattler points for the day and stood as the only Rattler who did not have a scoreless set. But Kelley came out ahead in the fight for a 6-3, 6-2 match point.
The loss Thursday came after two straight Heartland Conference victories that sealed St. Mary’s into the third-place rank. Even though their conference play is over, competitive play is not as seen Thursday.
St. Mary’s will remain in Abilene, Texas for a doubleheader Friday against McMurry University and the University of Southwest. The Rattlers take on McMurry University at 9 a.m.