Box Score DECORAH — Playing her final matches as a Central College women's tennis player, Ashlynn Brant (senior, Glidden, Carroll HS) won the C-Flight singles title at the American Rivers Conference individual championships.
           
Brant started her day with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) win in the semifinals before triumphing 6-3, 6-2 in the title match. During the team's spring season, Brant is studying abroad and will graduate in May.
           
"She was a little nervous in her semifinal," coach Ryun Ferrell said. "She got over her nerves and beat a good player from Luther. Once she got to the final, she really settled down against a different Luther player. She kets getting the ball back and didn't get flustered.  It was fun to watch her play today and I'm real proud of her."
           
In the B-Flight, Madi Whalen (freshman, Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill HS) was defeated in her semifinal match 6-4, 1-6 (10-5). She bounced back to take the bronze position with a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the third-place match.
           
"She played great," Ferrell said. "She actually was up in the third set tie-breaker and had chances to take her down.  She won that third-place match soundly. She was getting the ball back and coming forward aggressively."
           
In consolation action, Jayden Kissack (freshman, Clinton) won a pair of matches before falling in the consolation finals.
           
"That was good day for Jayden," Ferrell said.
           
Central completed its fall season with a 4-7 dual record overall and a 3-5 mark in conference. The Dutch have seven matches scheduled for the spring before traveling to Nebraska Wesleyan in the conference's NCAA automatic qualifier tournament.

"This team needs a little break," Ferrell said.  "We've got a lot of smart people on this team and they are ready to focus on academics for a while. The spring is a marathon and not a sprint so we need to get in the weight room and get our bodies ready for it."