The Hillsdale College women's tennis team got off to a strong start on the road at Davenport, but came up just short in a 4-3 loss to the Panthers on Sunday.

Hillsdale took an early lead with a strong showing doubles, as Hillsdale's top team of junior Ane Dannhauser and sophomore Briana Rees won a 7-3 tiebreak to pick up a win at No. 1 doubles, and senior Megan Hackman and freshman Esther Sura rolled to a 6-1 win over the Panthers at No. 2 doubles to secure the doubles point. Hillsdale's third doubles team also battled, coming up just short of victory in a tiebreak that went to 8-6 before going to Davenport.

In singles play, Hillsdale's Ane Dannhauser won her seventh straight match at No. 1 singles for the Chargers to open the spring campaign, downing Davenport's Skye Vandeleur 6-4, 6-3 to pick up a point for the Chargers, while Sura also completed an undefeated day with an impressive 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles over the Panthers' Lotte Federski.

Davenport, however, eked out an overall win by taking four of the six singles matches, despite strong efforts from the Chargers and close calls at No. 3 singles, which went to three sets, and No. 2 and 4 singles, where every set finished either 7-5 or 6-4.

Hillsdale falls to 5-2 with the loss and has another difficult contest on the road next Saturday, as the Chargers travel to Detroit to battle nationally-ranked Wayne State in a match scheduled for noon.