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

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 9, 2026) – Women's tennis finished its spring break swing through Florida on Monday afternoon, taking on Ohio Northern University in Orlando. With today's 6-1 loss, North Central's second in three matches, the Cardinals come up one win short of matching the 2023-24 team's historic 13-1 start.

Ohio Northern (5-2) won the match 6-1, dropping just one matchup in singles. The Polar Bears, playing well south of their natural habitat, swept doubles. Kate Herlihy and Liveta Ezerskis came up just short in the second doubles contest, losing 6-4.

North Central (12-2) suffered heartbreaking loss after heartbreaking loss throughout the singles schedule this afternoon. Kensington Payne lost the first set of her contest 6-3, but battled her way to a 7-6 win in the second set, winning the tiebreaker 7-5 over her opponent to force a third set tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, Payne was unable to build up any momentum, dropping the tiebreaking game 10-1.

Ezerskis also found herself in a three-set thriller. She jumped out to an early lead on Jamie Hurst of Ohio Northern with a 6-2 win. Hurst responded in the second set with a 6-4 win. The third-set tiebreaking game came down to the wire between the two. After neither player was able to build an advantage in the early going, it was Hurst who found herself with a victory in three, winning the game 10-7.

The lone point for North Central was clinched by Abigail Penados, playing in the matchup of number ones. Penados swept the match 6-4, 6-4.

Coach Joey Leto's squad now looks at a long layoff before its next action. The Cardinals aren't in action for about a month, as they'll next take the court in the Midwest Invitational in Madison, Wis. on April 3.