DECORAH— A 5-0 defeat against Coe College in the Iowa Conference NCAA tournament qualifier semifinal ended the Central College women's tennis team's season Saturday morning.
           
The book closes for the Dutch women with a 13-4 overall record (6-2 conference). Coe (14-13, 7-1 conference) advanced to the conference title match.
           
Starting with doubles, Central played Coe tough, but didn't have enough for a win.
           
"We had chances at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, but just couldn't quite pull it through," coach Ryun Ferrell said. "To be down 3-0 against the top two singles players in the league is a tall order."
           
Ferrell bid farewell to seniors Ashley Maley (Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) and Kari Grindberg (Fort Dodge). Maley played Saturday but Grindberg missed the weekend with an injury. Another senior, Paige Vannausdle (senior, Red Oak), was student teaching this spring and was not with the team.
           
"I inherited them as freshmen and that's always a unique situation as a new coach," Ferrell said. "They really embraced me and the way I do things. They've been amazing. We wish them all the best and thank them for representing Central College in a great way."
           
Central will return 11 letterwinners for next season, including four of the team's top-six singles player from the spring: Karleigh Schilling (freshman, Swisher, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS), Jenna Stewart (junior, Burlington, Notre Dame HS), Kirsten Jordan (junior, Clear Lake) and Laurynn Mize (freshman, Sycamore, Ill.).
           
"We'll be reasonably young, but I think we'll be pretty talented," Ferrell said. "We've got a lot of experience but we'll need players to step up and play a little higher than they did this year."