The Creighton women’s tennis team suffered a narrow 4-3 loss to Niagara on Wednesday night at the San Lando Tennis Center in Orlando, Florida. It was the team’s second day of competition on their spring break trip.
With the loss, the Bluejays dropped to 8-6 on the season, while Niagara improved to 5-9 overall.
Coach Lilly Reflects on Tough Loss
“This was a tough loss,” said Creighton head coach Tom Lilly. “Even with a few starters out, we had enough talent to win this match. We just aren’t handling difficult situations well. I hope we learn from this and improve.”
Strong Start in Doubles, But Niagara Takes the Point
Creighton started well in doubles, with senior Bianca Rademacher and freshman Olivia Minikel dominating on the top court for a quick 6-2 victory. However, Niagara responded with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles positions, securing the first point of the match.
Back-and-Forth Battle in Singles Play
The Bluejays bounced back in singles, winning the first two matches to take a 2-1 lead. Rademacher continued her strong form with a 6-0, 6-3 victory at No. 1 singles, improving to 9-2 this season at the top spot. Sophomore Elsa Jurrens followed with her first singles win of the year, defeating Niagara’s Amelia Greenawalt 6-1, 6-1.
Niagara quickly regained momentum, winning at No. 2 singles (6-4, 6-0) to even the score. A 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles put the Purple Eagles ahead, and they clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles by Larisa Kotok.
Despite the loss, Creighton ended on a high note as Minikel battled through a three-set match at No. 4 singles, securing a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory.
Looking Ahead
The Bluejays will wrap up their spring break trip on Thursday with a match against Connecticut College at 3:30 p.m. CT.
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