At first glance on the schedule it might look like a scrimmage. But it wasn’t. It counted for real and was the opener chapter to the 2015 women’s tennis season at Barton Community College.
The Cougars traveled to Fremont, Neb. last weekend for a pair of matches. They won’t play again until March. That’s right. March.
Barton split matches, losing to Doane (Neb) College 5-4 then rebounded for an easy 8-1 win over the host school Midland University.
“The loss to Doane was something that shouldn’t have happened,” Coach Lyle Stickney said. “But they played much better in their near sweep of Midland in the afternoon matches.”
The Brazilian duo of sophomore Barbara Codognotto and freshman Daniela Sanz were both 4-0 playing at the top of the score sheet.
In the loss to Doane the duo earned Barton’s only doubles win with an 8-1 drubbing of Bri Kempel and Cheyanna Kempel. It was just as easy in the singles as Sanz rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Bri Kempel in No. 1 singles while Codognotto beat Kay Bamesterger 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2.
The other Cougar to earn a win in singles was Claflin freshman Karli Beck. The Central Plains graduate also had an easy win, 6-1, 6-2 over Savannah Mitchell. Beck and Dodge City freshman Kelly Brauer lost 8-2 at No. 2 doubles.
The Great Bend duo of Rebecca Brining and Stephanie Langer lost 8-2 at No. 3 doubles. Brauer, Brining, and Langer all three lost in singles.
While Barton had some struggles at times in the morning battle with Doane, the Cougars were nearly flawless in the afternoon against Midland.
Sanz and Codognotto rolled to an 8-0 win in No. 1 doubles over Whitney Shutt and Jordan Warkentine. Both earned 6-1, 6-0 wins in No. 1 and 2 singles over the same pair from Midland.
Beck stayed perfect in singles with a thrilling 6-0, 5-7 (10-3) tie-breaker win over Morgan Beighley at No. 3. Langer and Brining each picked up singles wins as well. Langer, a freshman, won 8-4 at No. 5 while Brining, a sophomore, won 8-0 at No. 6.
The local duo also won at No. 3 doubles as Langer and Brining combined for an 8-2 win over Mikah Wright and Becca Bartlett. Beck and Brauer combined for an 8-2 win at No. doubles as well.
Barton will return to the court on March 4 with a visit to Friends University in Wichita as the spring season will pick up full swing.