Kayla Donner Oct. 16, 2009

Bliss, Donner team for all-conference honors

CEDAR RAPIDS—Central College’s Faith Bliss (senior, Ottumwa) and Kayla Donner (sophomore, Metamora, Ill., Metamora Township HS) earned all-Iowa Conference women's tennis distinction at the league’s individual tournament Friday.

Bliss and Donner teamed to reach the semifinals before being sidelined in Flight A doubles, which includes the league’s top 15 doubles teams. They’ll play in the Flight A third-place match Saturday at 9 a.m.

All-conference designation is awarded to the top four doubles teams in Flight A and the top eight singles’ players.

Bliss and Donner (11-5) entered as the tournament’s No. 4 seed. Following an 8-3 first-round win over Lindsay Greiner and Emily Heying of Wartburg, the Central duo ousted Alana Humpal and Katie Nichols of Luther 8-3 in the quarterfinals. But top-seeded Andrea Schupbach and Michelle Schupbach of Coe were 8-4 winners in the semifinals. Bliss and Donner face second-seeded K Allen and Zinnecker of Luther in the third-place match.

Central had one other doubles team in Flight A but Sara Dale (junior, Marshalltown) and Stephanie Gibbons (junior, Ankeny) were eliminated in the first round.

In Flight A singles, Dale and Bliss were Central’s only winners out of five entries in the 32-player bracket. Dale defeated Cassandra Chalhoub of Luther 6-4, 7-5 but was ousted in the quarterfinals by fourth-seeded Andrea Schupbach of Coe 6-1, 6-2. Bliss toppled Megan Fiala of Coe 6-0, 6-4 but was defeated by third-seeded Molly Eslick of Wartburg 6-0, 6-1.

Flight B and C results—Central scored just two wins in Flight B doubles, which were played in Mount Vernon. Trinh Le (sophomore, Des Moines, North HS) and Emily Swartz (sophomore, Eldora, South Hardin HS) were 8-3 winners in the first round before Emily Guschenritter and Megan Anderson of Buena Vista squeezed out a narrow 9-8 (6) win in the quarterfinals.

In Flight B singles, Jaime Ruisch (freshman, Pella) blanked Haley Punke of Luther 8-0 but was edged by top-seeded Jill Berner of Simpson 9-8 (3). Le was an 8-5 first-round winner but fell to Katharine Mack of Loras 8-6 in the quarterfinals.

Riley Taylor (sophomore, Tama, South Tama HS) and Chelsea Johnson (freshman, Mount Vernon) scored a first-round win 8-6 but then fell to Katharine Mack and Sarah Dickhut of Loras 8-1.

In Flight C singles, Taylor defeated Melanie Pham of Buena Vista 8-4 but was defeated in the quarterfinals. Johnson downed Hope Zefran of Buena Vista 8-6 but was also knocked out in the quarterfinals. Bethany Phitchit (freshman, Des Moines, Lincoln HS) received a first-round bye before falling.