#4 Seward Handed Back to Back Losses in OKC
The Seward County Lady Saints took back to back losses for the first time this season on Saturday, dropping their semifinal match of the Seminole State Dual Match Classic 6-3 to the host Trojans before falling in a 5-4 decision to rivals Cowley to finish fourth in the tournament.
In their first match of the day, the 4th ranked Lady Saints took on 3rd ranked Seminole State. In #1 doubles it was the 4th ranked duo in the country, Miranda Rodriguez and Luisa Veron getting by Seward's Rakotondrazafy combo 8-2 to take the early lead in the match. At #2 Thalita Rodrigues and Nthabi Mogopodi lost a tough 9-8 (6) decision to make it 2-0 Seminole before Seward picked up a point at #3 doubles as Madison Hoelting and Tadi Mrewa pulled out a 9-8 (1) win to cut the Trojan lead to 2-1 heading to singles.
Seminole dominated the action at the top of the singles table as Rodriguez and Veron, both ranked in the top 11 in the country, earned straight set wins against the Lady Saints to go in front 4-1. A 6-2, 6-0 win for Seminole at #3 sealed the match win and a 7-6 (2), 6-3 win at #4 put the cherry on top as they went ahead 6-1 in the match. Seward kept fighting though as Mogopodi earned a hard fought 7-5, 7-6 (4) win at #5 and Mrewa took a 6-2, 7-5 decision at #6 to make the final score respectable at 6-3 in favor of Seminole.
#4 SEWARD COUNTY/#3 SEMINOLE STATE MATCH RESULTS
The loss dropped the Lady Saints to the 3rd place match where coincidentally, they would meet up with Jayhawk Conference rival Cowley for the second time in five days. Oddly enough, the dual went exactly the same as Monday's battle did, unfortunately for Seward, that ending in a 5-4 Cowley victory.
None of the three doubles matches were particularly close as Cowley took the #1 point with an 8-3 win while Mogopodi and Rodrigues earned an 8-3 win at #2 and Mrewa and Hoelting an 8-1 win at #3 to give Seward the early 2-1 lead.
As they did on Monday, Cowley paced the play in singles however. The Lady Saints only wins came at #2 where Rodrigues outlasted 30th ranked Eva Forneiron 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 and Hoelting continued her solid play with a 6-3, 6-0 win at #6 to give Seward four points, but they couldn't break through at any other spot as Cowley earned straight set wins at #1, #3, and #4 and a three set victory at #5 to seal the match and take a 5-4 win back to Ark City.
#4 SEWARD COUNTY/#9 COWLEY MATCH RESULTS
Seward falls to 17-3 on the year with the losses and finishes in fourth place in the tournament.
Next up for the Lady Saints is a weekend trip to Wichita Falls, Texas where they will take on Midwestern State and Cameron Friday and Saturday.