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FHSU tennis drops dual
10/4/2009
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
Even though the Tigers come up short, Fort Hays State University tennis coach Brian Flax liked his players' effort on Saturday at the FHSU courts.
After getting swept in doubles, the Tigers made it close in singles before losing 5-4 to Newman University to end the fall season.
"When you go down 3-0 in doubles, it's hard to dig yourselves out," Flax said. "I told them we can still win this thing, or roll over."
Fort Hays won four of the six singles matches that counted toward the dual, but it wasn't enough.
Freshmen Laura Johnson and Melissa Skovira lost at No. 1 singles (6-0, 6-0) and No. 2 singles (6-2, 7-5), respectively, but the Tigers won at No. 3 through No. 6 singles. Sophomores Kelsey Bigando and Krista Lindsey won at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Bigando won 6-0, 6-1, while Lindsey won 2-6, 6-3, (10-7).
Sophomore Kayla Jarvis won 6-3, 0-6 (10-5) at No. 5 and freshman Brianna Watkins was a winner at No. 6 singles, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
After Lindsey lost the first set, she took a 5-2 lead in the second, but started to struggle with the big lead against the Jets' Emily Gerber. Lindsey ended up winning to force the tiebreaker. She won it to finish the fall season on a good note.
"Last year, I played her also," said Lindsey, who had ice packs on her shoulder and ankle after the match. "I knew from last year it would be a pretty tough match."
In the second set and tiebreak, Lindsey wanted to play error-free.
"I just didn't want to make any mistakes," she said. "Let her make the mistakes."
"Krista Lindsey played a very good match," Flax said. "She struggled with some injuries this fall."
Trailing 3-0 entering singles, Lindsey knew how important it was to come out with a victory.
"Knowing we lost three matches in doubles, I knew I needed to come away with a win," Lindsey said.
That attitude should serve the Tigers well in the spring, and for years to come for a young Tiger team that doesn't have a junior, let alone a senior.
"They came out and fought," in singles, Flax said.
In doubles, Johnson and Skovira lost at No. 1, 8-3, while Bigando and Lindsey lost 8-5 at No. 2 and Jarvis and Watkins fell 9-7 at No. 3.
The Tigers made Saturday's dual close, better than the alternative, said Flax, whose squad finished the fall at 3-2.
"It was one we could have had, should have had," Flax said. "Better 5-4 when you're down 3-0, than 8-0."
Fort Hays will hold its first alumni match Saturday at 10 a.m. at the FHSU courts.
"I didn't know what kind of response I would get from the (former) players," said Flax, who expects at least eight alums to play.
"I'm just excited for them to come back and be part of the program."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| TS | 04/06 | Emporia State | L 8-1 |
| SB | 03/30 | Panhandle State | W 10-2 (5 inn.) |
| SB | 03/30 | Panhandle State | W 13-3 (5 inn.) |
| BB | 03/30 | Washburn | W 3-1 |
| BB | 03/30 | Washburn | W 3-1 |
| TS | 03/23 | Kansas Wesleyan | L 6-3 |
| BB | 03/23 | Metro State | W 20-8 |
| BB | 03/23 | Metro State | W 6-5 |
| SB | 03/19 | Nebraska-Omaha | L 4-2 |
| SB | 03/19 | Truman State | W 4-1 |
| SB | 03/18 | Mo. Western | L 6-2 |
| BB | 03/17 | Missouri S&T | W 2-1 (10) |
| SB | 03/17 | Bethany | W 6-1 |
| SB | 03/17 | Bethany | W 8-1 |
| BB | 03/16 | Misosuri S&T | L 13-4 |
| MB | 03/14 | Central Missouri | L 80-73 |
| BB | 3/13 | NW Missouri | W 13-10 |
| BB | 03/13 | NW Missouri | W 4-3 |
| MB | 03/13 | Central Oklahoma | W 80-64 |
| SB | 03/08 | Fort Lewis | W 5-4 |