HOLLAND, Mich. - The Saint Mary's tennis team had a strong start to their season with several solid performances at the Hope Tournament on Friday and Saturday.

 

Saint Mary's tennis players competed in an A singles flight, a B singles flight, an A doubles flight, and a B doubles flight. 

 

Alayna Campbell, Lucy Chamberlin, Emma Kealy, and Kathleen McLeod all took part in the A singles flight. Campbell battled after falling in her opening match 6-1, 6-4 against Sophia Gomez from Aquinas by winning 8-5 over Catherin Grissom from Calvin and 8-5 Maggie Schoemaker from Calvin to advance to the consolation semi-final. The sophomore then earned a decisive 8-1 win over Miyako Coffey from Hope to make the consolation final but fell just short in an 8-5 match against Emilee Bassett from Trine.

 

Chamberlin bounced back from an opening-set loss to take a 3-6, 6-2, 10-3 win in her opening match against Schoemaker from Calvin on Friday. The senior matched Renata Castillo from Cornerstone point-for-point but was stopped in a 7-6 (3), 6-3 final to conclude her run in the A singles bracket. 

 

Kealy powered her way to a 6-2, 6-1 win against Hope Rhoades from Hope in her opening match of the day on Friday but fell in a 6-3, 6-2 match against Sophie Smith from Cornerstone. Kathleen McLeod had a 6-0, 6-2 setback against Tessa Homan from Calvin to begin her showing at the tournament. The senior then advanced in the consolation bracket via a bye before capturing an 8-3 win over Elise Norman from Calvin to advance to the consolation semi-final. McLeod had her run come to an end in the singles competition with an 8-3 loss to eventual consolation champion Bassett.

Katie Hunter, Hannah Gerner, Evelyn Demblans-Dechans, and Ava Stengle all participated in the B singles flight. Hunter responded after a 6-2, 6-1 loss against Taylor Trojan from Hope with wins over Joelle Henry from Cornerstone (8-3) and Monica McNally from Hope (8-5) to advance to the consolation semi-final. On Saturday, Hunter earned an 8-3 win against Hope Vanderheide from Cornerstone to move to the consolation final, where she met teammate Ava Stengle. Stengle, meanwhile, fell in a 6-2, 2-6, 10-6 final against Minnema from Calvin before taking an 8-4 win over Bailey Pelliccia from Trine and an 8-1 victory against Haley Bremer from Cornerstone to move to the consolation semi-final. The freshman prevailed 8-5 over Sophie Mulder from Calvin to move to the consolation championship, and Stengle defeated Hunter by an 8-5 score.

 

Gerner captured a 6-1, 6-2 win over Hope Vanderheide from Cornerstone in her first match but was edged out 7-6 (4), 6-2 by Averi Lewis from Calvin to conclude her run. 

 

Demblans-Dechans used a bye in her first round to advance through the winners bracket before a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win over Kennedy Outwater from Trine. She then used a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Delanie Minnema from Calvin to advance to the main draw semi-final. On Saturday, Demblans-Dechans opened the day with a 6-3, 6-3 win against Daniela Fernandez from Cornerstone to advance to the B flight championship. The freshman then captured the title with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Averi Lewis from Calvin.

In the A doubles bracket, Chamberlin and McLeod had an 8-2 setback against Volder/Gomez from Aquinas and fell 8-4 to Bowman/Herrera from Cornerstone. Campbell and Kealy won an 8-3 match over Fernandez/Castillo from Cornerstone but had their run stopped in an 8-1 final against Smith/de la Vega from Cornerstone. 

 

In the B doubles bracket, Demblans-Dechans and Gerner had a bye in the first round and won 8-4 over Johnston/Minnema from Calvin to advance to the semi-final round. On Saturday, the pair earned a spot in the championship match with an 8-1 victory against Locan/Welker from Trine. The duo, however, fell short in the title match in an 8-3 loss to Pacheco/Macchia from Aquinas.

 

Stengle and Hunter won 8-3 over Bremer/Arneson from Cornerstone in their first match but fell 8-2 to Pacheco/Mecchia from Aquinas to end their run.

 

The Belles have their first dual match of the season on Thursday, September 22 when they travel to Concordia Chicago for a 3:00 p.m. EDT competition.