The Barton County Community College women's tennis team ran into a buzz saw matchup of nationally ranked teams Monday afternoon in dropping a 8-1 conference match to 5th ranked Seward County Community College.
The 5th ranked Saints controlled doubles play at Great Bend's Shannon Schartz Tennis Courts before putting the hammer down on the 11th ranked Cougars in singles play.
In the No. 1 doubles match, Angelina Gnezdilova and Clara Penido took on singles nationally ranked Justine Lespes and Camille Belberka in falling 8-4. The No. 2 matchup of Azul Barrios and Paula Curci teamed up for the first time in a month, dropping a similar 8-3 fate to the Saints' Alejandra Sandoval and Jimena Ramirez Llorens. The Saints earned a walkover victory in the No. 3 doubles as Malena Hernandez wasn't able to compete which caused a shift of Curci back to No. 2 tandem.
Gnezdilova faced the nation's 2nd ranked Lespes in the No. 1 slot, losing 6-1, 6-2, which was the same score of defeat for Curci in the No. 5 flight to Sandoval.
It took a 10-7 tiebreak to decide the No. 2 match in favor of the Saints 18th ranked Carol Mora Comacho as Penido rallied after dropping the first set 6-1 before reversing the tide with an identical score to force the tiebreak.
Jacie Roth, who wasn't able to compete in her No. 3 doubles slot, was shutout in the No. 6 singles by Llorens.
In addition to the No. 3 doubles, Seward County received another walkover win in the No. 3 singles as Barton's lone win came in the No. 4 singles with Barrios receiving a walkover victory.
Barton's final tune-up and last home match of the season scheduled for Thursday hosting Ottawa University has been canceled due to impending weather. The Cougars will then use the next two weeks to finish up academics before heading to Tucson, Arizona, for the NJCAA Division I Championships held May 7-11.