ELSAH, ILL. – MBU women's tennis started their spring schedule on the road against Principia College on Saturday.
 
MBU split the singles matches against Principia taking home three victories. In the No. 2 singles match Faith Griese won 6-3, 6-4 to put away Gabby Quintero. Laura Baracaldo put together a very strong performance in the No. 3 singles match taking down Veronica Volkart in three sets. Baracaldo took the first set 7-6, before dropping the second 3-6. In the third and final set, the Junior from Bogota, Columbia refused to quit winning the high scoring affair 13-11 and taking the match. Coach Scott Goodyear stated, "she played the best match I've seen her play".
 
Elle Panke made her Spartan debut in style. Panke transferred into MBU over Christmas break and made sure to make the most of her first action of the 2021-22 season. Panke competed in the No. 5 singles slot for the Spartans and defeated Ruth Hummel in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3 to pick up her first collegiate victory in her first collegiate match.
 
MBU battled in all three doubles matches, coming up just short. Griese and Vasiljkovic fell 3-7 in the tie breaker set during the No. 1 doubles match against Gomez and Quintero, dropping the match 7-8. Freshman tandem Myia McAllister and Panke saw their first doubles action of their collegiate career against Principia's Volkart and Kelsie Huss. The tandem would faulter though dropping the match 5-8. Baracaldo and Maddie Feick also pushed their competition but came up short in the tie breaker set losing the match 7-8.
 
Singles
 

1. Nina Vasiljkovic vs. Camila Gomez – L 3-6, 1-6
2. Faith Griese vs. Gabby Quintero – W 6-3, 6-4
3. Laura Baracaldo vs. Veronica Volkart – W 7-6, 3-6, tie-break 13-11
4. Myia McAllister vs. Kelsie Huss – L 2-6, 1-6
5. Elle Panke vs. Ruth Hummell – W 6-2, 6-3
6. Maddie Feick vs. Emma Franklin – L 5-7, 3-6

 
Doubles
 

1. Vasiljkovic/Griese vs. Gomez/Quintero – L 7-8
2. McAllister/Panke vs. Volkart/Huss – L 5-8
3. Baracaldo/Feick vs. Franklin/Hanger – L 7-8

 
The Spartans will head to O'Fallon, Ill. to take on McKendree University Friday, Feb. 11. The match is set to begin at 2:30 PM.