The Pratt Community College Women’s Tennis programs made history this past week with their first win against a top 10 ranked program. This team has proven to be special and is also defeated the first Division 2 program in their short history earlier in the year.  

From March 12 to March 15, the team was in Tyler, TX playing in a tournament hosted by Tyler Junior College. The team played 5 matches and finished with a 3-2 record.  

The trip opened with a tough match against #15 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The team fell 4-5. Barbara Mattar was the standout performer of the match. She, with the help of her doubles partner, Alyse Zimmerman, defeated Katelyn Walker and Meredith Matthews 8-4. In her singles match, Barbara defeated Katelyn Walker for the second time 6-1, 6-2.  

The team bounced back the next day with a 6-3 victory against #17 USC-Sumter. Ebonie Russell was the team’s top performer in this match. She and Emma Guzman, her doubles partner, defeated Mila Salazar and Dana Espinoza 8-2. She then played Salazar again in singles and won in dominate fashion, 6-0, 6-2. 

The team’s toughest competition of the trip was Collin County Community College, #4. Collin took the match 8-1. The highlight of the match for the Beavers was Ilse Smaalders and Sandra Rodriguez Dominguez’s 9-8(5) victory at #1 doubles. They defeated Mii Naito and Nao Watanabe in a thrilling match.  

Later that same day, the team played a short-handed Jacksonville College and won the match without dropping a single set. Barbara Mattar’s 6-0, 6-0 win at #2 singles over Imara Achala was the match’s biggest highlight.  

To end the trip, the team played #8 Weatherford College. Coming into the match as underdogs did not affect the players as they managed a 5-4 victory. Ilse Smaalders was the team’s top performer with an 8-5 win at #1 doubles with her partner Sandra Rodriguez Dominguez. They defeated Rosmary Pena and Maria Camila Ternera Agredo. Ilse followed up her doubles win with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Barbara Mattar was the final match on court and clinched the match for the Beavers with a 6-1, 5-7, 10-7 victory over Sara Tublen.  

This year’s team has been trending upward and continues to improve every day. The team was ranked #13 going into the trip and could see their ranking improve with some of the performances on the trip. Earlier in the season on February 25, the team defeated Newman University for the program’s first Division 2 victory. They won that match 5-2. 

The team is ready for the challenging Conference schedule that is coming up in April. Their schedule will feature 3 of the top 9 teams in the country and will allow them to showcase their abilities. The team is ready for the challenge and for their chance to compete at the National Tournament in early-May.