GRINNELL — Competing for the first time this semester, the Central College women's tennis team was defeated 9-0 by Grinnell College Saturday afternoon.
           
It was the first match of the spring for both the Pioneers (9-1) and the Dutch (4-8).
           
"Grinnell is loaded right now," coach Ryun Ferrell said. "They're No. 1 singles player is No. 13 in the country. They are No. 6 in our region and No. 33 nationally. We play a team like this to help us get ready for our conference tournament in April."
           
The lone point for Central came at No. 5 singles after Alli Kreider's (junior, Norwalk) opponent retired early in the match.
           
Central's lineup looks very different this spring compared to its fall lineup. In doubles, only the No. 1 paring of Jennifer Larson (sophomore, Johnston) and Madi Whalen (freshman, Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill HS) remains the same.

The new No. 2 doubles team Saturday was Becca Vala (sophomore, Omaha, Neb., Elkhorn HS) and Jenna Mitsuko Mahoney (freshman, Misawa, Japan, Robert D. Edgren HS) in Vala's first action of the 2022-23 season after she played volleyball in the fall. The new No. 3 team was Jenna Hernandez (junior, Slater, Ballard HS) and Brianna Lindstrom (junior, North Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS). Hernandez's partner in the fall semester was Alex Griggs, who graduated in December and is now an assistant coach.
           
"Doubles looked a lot better than I thought it would," Ferrell said. "We had to make some changes based on some roster turnover."
           
In singles, Larson stayed at No. 1 as did Hernandez at No. 3 and Kreider at No. 5. Whalen jumped up to No. 2 after playing a limited amount of singles in the fall. Mahoney and Vala were inserted at Nos. 4 and 6, respectively in the singles lineup.
           
"Whalen and Mahoney played doubles in the fall but they're ready to go in singles this spring," Ferrell said. "They proved that in the fall through the spring. Vala has been hitting the ball well lately so we're looking to get her involved."
           
The Dutch travel to Baldwin City, Kansas for a 1 p.m. match against Baker University next Saturday.