The Hillsdale College women's tennis team picked up a huge victory over a G-MAC foe to improve to 4-0 in conference play on Sunday, downing visiting Walsh 4-1.

A strong performance in doubles set the table for the Chargers, as Hillsdale swept all three flights to take a 1-0 lead in the match. The Chargers' No. 1 doubles team of Ane Dannhauser and Briana Rees took a 6-3 victory and Hillsdale's No. 2 doubles team of senior Courtney Rittel and junior Megan Hackman and the No. 3 doubles team of senior Libby McGivern and junior Isabella Spinazze each won 6-4 matches as well.

In singles play, Hillsdale got dominant victories from McGivern at No. 2 singles, rolling 6-0, 6-4 past Walsh's Lina Starke, and from Rees at No. 3 singles, with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Walsh's Carla Padberg, to put themselves on the verge of clinching the match. Rittel sealed the victory with a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles over Walsh's Rachel Kibler. 

The victory gives Hillsdale, now 9-5 overall, the inside track to potentially earn a top four seed in the season-ending G-MAC Tournament, as the Cavaliers are usually intense competitors for one of those coveted spots. Hillsdale hits the road this weekend with big opportunities in play, as the Chargers take on two of the top three preseason teams in the G-MAC in Findlay, the sixth-ranked team in the nation, on Friday and Tiffin on Saturday. An upset over one or both would insert Hillsdale into the conversation for the league title this season and a potential bye in the G-MAC Tourney.

Photo by Kenneth Gaudet