Box Score EUGENE, Ore. – After their last match against UCLA was canceled due to rain, the Saint Mary's Women's Tennis team was back in action Saturday afternoon as they took on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Eugene, Oregon. The University of Oregon's Student Tennis Center served as the neutral site venue for Saturday's action. 
 
Despite winning doubles, the Gaels were unable to maintain their momentum, as Iowa swung the advantage their direction to claim overall victory 5-2.
 
DOUBLING UP
The Gaels set the tempo early in doubles, as all three SMC pairings got off the quick starts. Stefanie Silva and Tian Yu Dong led the way for SMC, steamrolling their Hawkeyes opponents to win their match 6-0.
 
Olivia Rook and Iman Khan started off well too, quickly jumping out to 3-0 lead. Their opponents didn't back down, as the Iowa pairing of Vipasha Mehra and Daianne Hayashida slowly began to work their way back into the match, winning two straight games to make it 3-2. Both teams continued to trade games back in forth, as they were all square at 5-5. The Iowa duo were able to build the momentum and tire the Gaels, completing the comeback to win the match 7-5. 
 
Jordan Harris and Lene Mari Hovda were tested in their doubles match as well, as Samantha Mannix and Pia Kranholdt took the Gaels pairings to a tiebreak. With the score all square at five games apiece, the experienced Gaels dug deep, winning the match and clinching the doubles point for Saint Mary's by winning the match 7-6 (4).  
 
SINGLE'S ACTION
The Gaels were tested on the single's courts as well, as the experienced Hawkeyes forced the SMC players to be at their best. 
 
Stefanie Silva was up for the challenge, taking on Nevada's Pia Kranholdt. It was a hotly contested first set, the players knotted up at six games apiece. Even after being tied 9-9 in the tiebreaker, Silva was not going to be denied, winning the tiebreaker and the set 7-6 (10). 
 
The momentum stayed with Silva, and she was able to close out the match in the second set, winning the match 7-6 (10), 6-3. 
 
Freshman Iman Khan played well in her match against Iowa's Daianne Hayashida as well. Despite losing the first set in a tiebreak, she bounced back in confident fashion, claiming the second set 6-2. An unfortunate injury cut the comeback short, as Khan was forced to retire in the third set.
 
Jordan Harris and Lene Mari Hovda both battled played great matches despite being unable to claim the victories. Both players lost their first sets, but were able to bounce back and win their second sets.
 
Harris started off well in the third set, establishing her serve against the defiant Marisa Schmidt. Schmidt slowly gained momentum, and Harris was unable to hang on, as the Hawkeye claimed the third set 6-3. 
 
The same can be said for Hovda, who did well to win the second set against a tricky opponent. Unfortunately, Iowa's Samantha Mannix proved to be too much, wining the third set 6-2. 
 
 
Iowa (4-2) defeats Saint Mary's (1-1)
Feb. 11, 2023 in Eugene, Ore. 
Student Tennis Center
 
Doubles
 

1. Jordan Harris/Lene Mari Hovda (SMC) def. Samantha Mannix/Pia Kranholdt (IOW), 7-6(4) *
2. Vipasha Mehra/Daianne Hayashida (IOW) def. Olivia Rook/Iman Khan (SMC), 7-5 
3. Stefanie Silva/Tian Yu Dong (SMC) def. Marisa Schmidt/Barbara Pokorna (IOW), 6-0

 
Order of Finish – 3, 2, 1 * 
*Clinched doubles point
 
 
Singles 
 

1. Marisa Schmidt (IOW) def. Jordan Harris (SMC), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Samantha Mannix (IOW) def. Lene Mari Hovda, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 ^
3. Vipasha Mehra (IOW) def. Olivia Rook (SMC), 6-4, 6-2
4. Daianne Hayashida (IOW) def. Iman Khan (SMC), 7-6 (5), 2-6, 4-0 ret.
5. Barbara Pokorna (IOW) def. TianYu Dong (SMC), 6-1, 6-1
6. Stefanie Silva (SMC) def. Pia Kranholdt (IOW), 7-6 (10), 6-3

 
Order of Finish – 5, 3, 4, 2^, 6, 1
^ Clinched overall win
 
NEXT UP
The Gaels are back in action tomorrow as they'll take on the Oregon Ducks at 11 AM.