Belles Defeated by Conference Champion Hope

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's tennis team was defeated 8-1 by conference champion Hope on Saturday afternoon.

Shannon Elliott and Kayle Sexton took an 8-5 win at two doubles after jumping out to an early lead and taking care of their match. Mary Catherine Faller had yet another marathon match on the season. The sophomore was one of the first singles matches to start play and was the last one off the court. Faller broke her opponent's serve and held her own in the second set to go from trailing 4-3 to leading 5-4, but her comeback effort came up just short as she ended on the wrong side of a 6-2, 7-5 score.

The Belles (10-9, 3-5 MIAA) will wrap up their season on Monday when they travel to North Central (Ill.) for a 3:00 p.m. CST match against the Cardinals.

Results
 Singles competition
1. Carli Capestany (HOPE) def. Mary Catherine Faller (SMC) 6-2, 7-5
2. Leah LaBarge (HOPE) def. Kayle Sexton (SMC) 6-1, 6-0
3. Casey Baxter (HOPE) def. Shannon Elliott (SMC) 6-0, 6-0
4. Shelby Schulz (HOPE) def. Jackie Kjolhede (SMC) 6-0, 6-0
5. Mallory Smith (HOPE) def. Audrey Kiefer (SMC) 6-1, 6-1
6. Melissa Bieri (HOPE) def. Margaret Boden (SMC) 6-1, 6-0

 Doubles competition
1. Carli Capestany/Leah LaBarge (HOPE) def. Mary Catherine Faller/Audrey Kiefer (SMC) 8-3
2. Shannon Elliott/Kayle Sexton (SMC) def. Shelby Schulz/Mallory Smith (HOPE) 8-5
3. Andrea Pickelman/Hannah Schulz (HOPE) def. Margaret Boden/Jackie Kjolhede (SMC) 8-1

Match Notes:
Hope College 16-7, 8-0 MIAA; Regional ranking #17
Saint Mary's College 10-9, 3-5 MIAA
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (4,3,2,6,5,1)