CEDAR RAPIDS  —  The Central College women's tennis team put up a good effort but came up short against Coe College 5-2 in the American Rivers Conference tournament semifinals Thursday.
           
The No. 6 seed Central (7-13) lost all three doubles matches against No. 2 Coe College. (13-7) and put itself in an early whole.
           
"We came out a little flat in doubles," coach Ryun Ferrell said. "Give Coe Credit because they played really well in doubles."
           
Madi Whalen (freshman, Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill HS) rattled off a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles and Jenna Mitsuko Mahoney (freshman, Misawa, Japan, Robert D. Edgren HS) followed with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles.
           
"Madi had really embraced the No. 2 spot," Ferrell said. "I'm really proud of what she's accomplished this spring.
           
"Jenna really started hitting her stride in the later part of the season. She's been playing with more confidence."
           
After getting the sweep in doubles, Coe only needed to win two singles matches. Central had a lead in the No. 6 singles match and were close in the No. 5 match. Both of those would go unfinished.
           
"We did everything but win," Ferrell said. "If one of those matches we lost goes a different way we could have won the whole thing."
           
The Dutch head into the offseason with a heap of optimism for next year as they lose none of their lineup too gradation.
           
"We've got a lot of talent coming back," Ferrell said. "And I think we'll have some new pieces coming in that can help us right away. Hopefully, we'll be even better next year."