Contact: Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (March 29, 2026) – The North Central women's tennis program hosted No. 37 Grinnell College this afternoon for a non-conference dual at Naperville Tennis Club, dropping a 5-2 decision.

Kensington Payne and Abigail Penados started doubles play with a quick win, taking their contest 6-3. Sophia Drozd and Anais Gerard were swept in their contest 6-0, leaving the doubles point up for grabs.

In the second spot in the doubles lineup, Kate Herlihy and Liveta Ezerskis attempted to claim the doubles point for the Cardinals, but were unsuccessful. They fell in the match 7-6, losing the tiebreaker 7-5 and giving Grinnell (11-4) an early 1-0 lead.

The two points for the Cardinals came from the top two spots in the singles lineup. Penados, after losing the opening set 6-3, fought her way back to win the second and third sets 6-2, 6-2 to get the Cardinals on the board.

Payne, in the second spot in the lineup, took home a two-set sweep, winning in extra games in the first set 7-5, and in 10 games in the second set 6-4.

The Pioneers went 4-2 in singles to clinch the match. Drozd came awfully close to derailing those plans in her singles match, competing in a three-set thriller. She won the first set 7-6 after winning the tiebreaker 8-6, but couldn't carry the momentum into the following sets, falling 6-3, 6-0 over the final two sets.

The Cardinals are 1-3 in their last four after an 11-0 start in duals competition.

While the women's tennis program does not compete in a dual match again until April 11 against the University of California, Santa Cruz,  its athletes will take part in the Midwest Invitational next weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, over April 3 and 4.