The Lady Raiders ended their season at regional tennis on Thursday, as none of the girls won a trip to sub-state.

The doubles fared best for Immaculata, both teams winning their first round games but falling in the second. Ashley Roberts and Ana Hernandez fell 6-2 to Manning and Tengeman from Sabetha in the first set, but pulled together to win the final two 6-1, 6-3 to take the match.

“Ana and Ashley dropped their first set fairly quickly but then buckled down. I think they surprised their opponent,” Immaculata coach Manuel Hernandez said.

Their second round game put them against Sunderland and Toler from Kansas City Christian, a team that handed them an 8-5 loss earlier in the season. At Thursday’s regional at Indian Creek, the Hernandez/Roberts duo fell 6-4, 6-2 to the KCC team.

“They were up 3-0,” the Lady Raider coach said. “Then they started to drop games. It was one of those where they couldn’t get their rhythm back.

“Those two have worked really hard ... It was a tough loss for them.”

The other double team of Kaitlynn Wilson and Ange Davis took a 6-0, 7-5 win over Howard and Gainer of Maur Hill-Mount Academy in the first round and lost to what Hernandez said was a very good Marysville duo 6-0, 6-3 to get knocked out in the second round.

“The Marysville team was definitely a different level of play,” Hernandez said. “I thought they did well getting to three games.”

On the singles side, both Michelle Foster and Jessica Budke lost in their opening games. Foster fell 6-4, 6-2 to Maddi Mitchell of Kansas City Christian and Budke took a 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 loss at the hands of Maranatha’s Kellie Mowrer.

“I really believe Michelle has the ability to beat her,” Hernandez said of Foster’s match up with Mitchell. “Maddi just played a little bit better game. Michelle wasn’t moving as well.”

Despite the loss, Hernandez said he felt like Foster has accomplished a lot in her four years on the Lady Raiders squad.

“She’s come a long way from her first year to now ... I was very proud of her play.”

For Budke, Hernandez said, the comeback in the second set just fell a little short.

“That was a hard-fought match from beginning to end,” Hernandez said. “Kellie just had a couple less unforced errors. For Jessica, it was one of her best games, it could have gone either way.”
On the whole, Hernandez said it was a decent day for the Immaculata tennis team.

“There was some good, some not so good,” Hernandez said. “It was a great day for tennis and we gave it the best we had, we just faced some tough competition. Marysville and Sabetha really stepped up the regional.”

All but Davis and Budke graduate from the six players who competed at regionals this season, but Hernandez said he’s got high hopes for the two returning for Immaculata next season.

“We got two returners now with Ange and Jessica,” Hernandez said. “They got some good experience. I’m just very proud of all of my girls.”