CEDAR RAPIDS— In a match that came down to the final individual point, the Central College women's tennis team lost 5-4 Saturday afternoon against Coe College.
           
The Kohawks (3-0, 2-0 American Rivers Conference) and the Dutch (2-3, 1-2 conference) were tied at 4-4 with only the No. 4 singles match between Ella White of Coe and Central's Katie Larson (sophomore, Fort Madison) remaining. White got the best of Larson in a thrilling three-set match 6-0, 4-6, 6-4.
           
"It was a tight match and we had chances," coach Ryun Ferrell said. "We did everything right and when you do things right, you'll have a shot of things going your way. Katie lost to a senior who just had few more ticks up her sleeve."
           
The two teams split the six singles matches, with Central winning at No. 1, No. 5 and No. 6. Karleigh Schilling (junior, Swisher, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS) won at the top sot 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 against Isabella Hoppenjans, the runner-up at last year's American Rivers Conference individual tournament.
           
"Karleigh lost to her in the tournament last year in a tight two-set match," Ferrell said. "She got her vengeance today and played some of the smartest tennis I've seen her play."
           
Laurynn Mize (junior, Sycamore, Ill.) made her first singles appearance of the year for Central, winning 6-     1, 6-2 at No. 5. Sarah Schirm (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Xavier HS) triumphed 6-2, 6-1 in the final spot.
           
"Laurynn didn't a miss a beat in singles," Ferrell said. "Sarah started off a little slow this season but now she's really starting to find her groove."
           
Schilling and Mize teamed up to win 8-3 at No. 2 doubles.
           
Truman State University (Mo.) comes to Pella for a 4 p.m. match on Tuesday at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex tennis courts. The two schools played every year between 1994 and 2009, but have not played since. The Bulldogs, an NCAA Division II program, won the last six meetings.