Simpson sweeps twinbill in Dubuque, remains undefeated

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Simpson women's tennis team opened up conference play with two wins, taking down Loras 6-3 before edging Dubuque 5-4 on Saturday as the Storm improved to 4-0 on the season.

The difference in Simpson's win over Loras came in doubles play. The Storm went 3-0 in doubles before splitting singles play to down the Duhawks.

Kelli Ehrhardt and Michelle Hartmann both fell in the No. 1 and 2 spots although Kelli Greiner won 6-3, 6-1 over Maggie Clements in the No. 3 spot to right the ship.

Cassidy Bierbrodt was blanked in straight sets but the Storm's back end of Megan Bradley and Liz Nimmo helped clinch the win.

Bradley won 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 before Nimmo clipped Rachael Molidor 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in a pair of hard fought matches.

Things were a little tighter in the second half of the day's doubleheader, but Simpson came up clutch down the stretch in singles play to defeat the Dubuque Spartans.

Hartmann and Bierbrodt won the Storm's only doubles match, 8-1, as Simpson fell behind 4-1 as a team after losing the first two singles matches.

The comeback was fueled when Greiner, Bierbrodt, Bradley and Nimmo swept the final four singles matches to snatch a win over the Spartans.

Bierbrodt won a particularly pivotal match, winning 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 to keep Simpson alive.

UP NEXT
Women's tennis looks to stay undefeated as they hit the road for another doubleheader, beginning with Coe at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. Simpson takes on Cornell College later that day at 2 p.m.