GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Davenport women's tennis team took part in their second conference match of the season on Friday with a first serve just before noon. In a battle at the Grand Rapids Racquet and Fitness Club, the Panthers were nipped by the Huskies' 4-3. Michigan Tech improved to 5-4 overall and 2-0 in the GLIAC, while DU is now 10-7 overall and even at 1-1 in the league.

The match lasted nearly five hours and it could have gone either way. The Panthers would earn the doubles point on the back of a two-doubles win by Skye Vandeleur and Hermon Mikael. They won 7-6 (7-1) in a tiebreak over Lauren Opalewski and Emily Cojocaru. Amy Bloch and Willemien Coetzee teamed up at one doubles and won 6-1 over Dominika Bobik and Grace Eland.

There were a bevy of high-octane singles matches that hinged on just a few points. Bloch went down 6-4, 6-4 at one singles against Bobik. After Coetzee lost 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 against Eland at two singles, it was up to the bottom half of the order to try and pull out the win.

Vandeleur, the reigning GLIAC Player of the Week, did her part with a three-set triumph by scores of 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 at three singles against Neva Manas. Mikael did not have a consistent match and fell 6-3, 6-0 at four singles against Cojocaru. Isabella Carofano at five singles gutted out a three-set win over Marina Fernandez (7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-2). Louise Hosking battled to the bitter end at six singles and after winning the first set 7-6 (7-5), she dropped the next two by scores of 3-6, 3-6.

The team will be right back on the indoor courts tomorrow at 9 AM against Lake Superior State.