Box Score GRINNELL—The Central College women's tennis team headed off to spring break after a 7-2 setback at Grinnell College Saturday.
           
The lone singles win was at No. 5 where Brianna Lindstrom (senior, North Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS) prevailed 6-3, 7-5.  At No. 2 doubles, Jenna Mahoney (sophomore, Misawa, Japan) and Becca Vala (junior, Omaha, Neb., Elkhorn HS) posted an 8-3 win.
           
Coach Ryun Ferrell noted the Dutch have had limited practice opportunities in the early going this spring.
           
"The thing I love about these players is they're really focused on improving so whenever they get to practice, it's like they don't want to waste a minute," Ferrell said. "So when they got out there, they played tough. Grinnell was just better than us but there were a lot of things I liked. We beat them at (No.) 2 doubles and 6 singles, but we also had a chance to get into a third (set) at 2 singles and 3 singles. I mean, we had chances all over the place. But it just looked like our first match of the spring. We've just got to keep playing and I think we'll have some good things on the horizon."
           
The Dutch (6-7) are off until Saturday, March 23 when they play host to the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (Minn.) in a 10 a.m. match before meeting Northwestern College of Iowa at 2 p.m. With the Central men also in action that day, the Pella High School courts will be utilized. The women also take on Cornell College on the road the following day.
           
"That will be a good weekend," Ferrell said. "Those teams are all very solid. They're going to be battles and that's what we need right now. We need to be pushed and we can push back and hopefully we can get some wins that weekend."
           
It's Central's first-ever meeting with Northwestern-St. Paul, which carries a 3-4 record into five matches in Florida next week. Northwestern of Iowa defeated Central 5-4 last year at Pella, although the Dutch hold a 15-5 lead in the teams' series.