Last weekend, the Eastern Washington women’s tennis team split their matches 1-1. On Feb. 24, EWU beat Montana State 4-3 before losing 3-4 to Gonzaga on Feb. 25.

Against the Bobcats, Eastern Washington started down 1-0 after losing the doubles point. EWU’s team of senior Jennifer Kida and junior Kenzington Mann won their match 6-1, but Montana State won the other two.

However, the Eagles showed an advantage in the singles matches. Kida continued to win, as she defeated Montana State’s freshman Paula Dougherty. After sophomore Leandra Nizetic also won, Eastern Washington held the lead at 2-1.

The Bobcats were able to even the score after junior Marta Garcia-Reboredo won her match against EWU senior Scout Matthews. Still, the Eagles were able to quickly answer with a victory from junior Isabella Foshee. They took a 3-2 score into the final two matches. 

Montana State’s junior Andrea Cuquerella was able to even the score 3-3 as she defeated Mann, who was named to the All-Big Sky Singles Second Team in 2022. The winning team would be decided by the final singles match.

Sophomore Kelly Arends, who was named Big Sky Player of the Week on Feb. 21st after going 2-0 in her singles matches, clinched the victory for Eastern Washington by beating MSU senior Jazmin Lerman in two sets. 

Full Results

Doubles:

1. Marta Garcia-Reboredo/Hudson Hawkins (MSU) def. Scout Matthews/Isabella Foshee (EWU) 6-4
2. Paula Dougherty/Meg McCarty (MSU) def. Leandra Nizetic/Kelly Arends (EWU) 6-4
3. Jennifer Kida/Kenzington Mann (EWU) def. Jasmin Lermin/Angel Beam 6-1

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles:

1. Marta Garcia-Reboredo (MSU) def. Scout Matthews (EWU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Jennifer Kida (EWU) def. Paula Dougherty (MSU) 6-2, 6-3)
3. Leandra Nizetic (EWU) def. Meg McCarty (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Isabella Foshee (EWU) def. Angel Bean (MSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
5. Kelly Arends (EWU) def. Jasmin Lerman (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Andrea Cuquerella (MSU) def. Kenzington Mann (6-3, 6-0)

Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1, 4, 6, 5

The Eagles traveled to Gonzaga to take on the Bulldogs the next day. This time, Eastern Washington won the doubles point, as the duos of Matthews/Foshee and Kida/Mann each won their matches. 

The Bulldogs took the first three singles points, all in two sets, as freshman Brooke Bittner beat Mann, freshman Emily Robinson beat Matthews, and junior Caroline Wernli beat Arends, giving Gonzaga a 3-1 lead over halfway through the competition.

EWU was able to battle back and even up the score, as Kida beat Gonzaga senior Kianna Oda and Foshee beat senior Tiegan Aitken, who entered this season with the second-most court five singles wins in Gonzaga history.

For the second straight day, the winner of the last singles match would determine the team winner. Unlike Saturday, Eastern Washington was unable to win the overall match. Nizetic battled over three sets, each decided by just two games, but freshman Ella Nielsen prevailed to give the Bulldogs the 4-3 victory.

Full Results

Doubles:

1. Scout Matthews/Isabella Foshee (EWU) def. Kianna Oda, Tiegan Atkin (GON) 6-3
2. Emily Robertson/Ella Nielsen (GON) def. Leandra Nizetic/Kelly Arends 6-0
3. Jennifer Kida/Kenzington Mann (EWU) def. Brooke Bittner/Caroline Werni 7-5

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

Singles:

1. Emily Robertson (GON) def. Scout Matthews (EWU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Jennifer Kida (EWU) def. Kianna Oda (GON) 6-2, 6-4
3. Ella Nielsen (GON) def. Leandra Nizetic (EWU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
4. Isabella Foshee (GON) def. Tiegan Aitken 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Caroline Werni (GON) def. Kelly Arends (EWU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Brooke Bittner (GON) def. Kenzington Mann (EWU) 6-2, 6-1

Order of Finish: 6, 1, 5, 2, 4, 3