DECORAH— Despite just three singles players with experience playing in the Iowa Conference tournament, the No. 3 seed Central College women's tennis team took down the No. 6 seed University of Dubuque 5-2 in the opening round Friday night.
           
Central has won five straight matches in the conference tournament quarterfinals.
           
The win over Dubuque (9-10, 3-5 conference) sets up a date for Central (13-3, 6-2 conference) with the No. 2 seed Coe College (13-13, 7-1 conference) Saturday morning at 9 a.m.
           
The Dutch had previously triumphed 7-2 over the Spartans on September 9, but Friday's Dutch lineup was hardly recognizable compared to the one from September. Three of the team's singles players from September were not playing, including No. 2 Kari Grindberg (senior, Fort Dodge) who was injured last weekend and forced to sit out the tournament.
           
"For this team to lose Kari at the last second, they really responded in a great way," coach Ryun Ferrell said. "They went out there and got to work and got it done."
           
Typically the No. 3 doubles team, Ashley Maley (senior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) and Madison Krumm (sophomore, Kellogg, Grinnell HS) whitewashed their opponents 8-0 at No. 2.
           
"Those two stepped up big," Ferrell said. "They moved up a spot and destroyed their opponent. They tore them apart right from the beginning."
           
The No. 3 pairing of Laurynn Mize (freshman, Sycamore, Ill.) and Sarah Behrens (freshman, Red Oak) picked up an 8-3 win.
           
In the singles lineup, Karleigh Schilling (freshman, Swisher, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS) trumped 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2. Jenna Stewart (junior, Burlington, Notre Dame HS) was victorious 6-3, 7-5 at No. 3 and Krumm won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6
           
Long a power of the conference in women's tennis, the Kohawks only beat the Dutch 5-4 in the fall, the closest match between the two programs since a Central win in 2004.
           
"We've got a completely different squad and Coe is a little different, too," Ferrell said. "We've got nothing to lose and since we've got nothing to lose, it'll make us some of the most dangerous people on the planet."