Women's Tennis edges Kenyon 6-3 in battle of regionally-ranked teams
By Tim Glon
ADA -- Sophomore Carly Olmstead posted a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-0, 7-5 victory at No. 3 doubles to give Ohio Northern a 6-3 non-conference women's tennis victory over Kenyon in a battle of regionally-ranked teams Tuesday afternoon at University Courts.
The Polar Bears, who are ranked No. 22 in the Central Region, improve to 10-4 on the season, while the No. 14-regionally ranked Ladies fall to 6-6.
Northern was clinging to a 4-3 lead with two matches left when Olmstead won her third set 7-5 to clinch ONU's first victory over Kenyon since 1984, stopping a streak of seven consecutive losses in the series against the perennial power.
Senior Kristin Timperman then wrapped up the match with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-3 win at No. 6 singles.
The Polar Bears took two out of three of the doubles courts to go up 2-1 early.
Freshmen Kristin Cellentini and Brittany Miller won 8-2 at No. 2 doubles to tie the match at 1-1 and Olmstead and sophomore Lauren Rife won 9-7 at No. 3 doubles to give ONU a 2-1 lead.
Miller made it 3-1 Polar Bears with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles.
After KC won at No. 1 singles, Cellentini won the No. 4 singles to give ONU a 4-2 advantage.
Kenyon won the court at No. 5 singles to pull within 4-3, setting up Olmstead's match-clincher.
The Polar Bears will play host to two matches on Saturday, hosting Wooster in a non-conference match at 10 am and hosting Ohio Athletic Conference foe Marietta at 1 pm.