Grinnell 7, Central 2
Grinnell 9, Simpson 0

GRINNELL, Iowa - Playing for the first time since jumping into the Central Region rankings, the Grinnell College women's tennis team delivered with a pair of wins over Iowa Conference foes Saturday.

Grinnell, rated 20th in the region, defeated Central College 7-2 and shut out Simpson College 9-0 to improve to 16-3. The win total is the seventh-best in program history.

Double winners against Central were Milica Cvrkota '21, Ali Hickey '21 and Abby Nielsen '21. They were victorious at the top three singles spots with Cvrkota winning 6-3, 6-4, Hickey earning a 6-1, 6-3 decision and Nielsen winning 6-2, 6-3. Brenda Guan '20 earned a 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 win at No. 5 and Sydney Banach '18 claimed a 6-2, 6-2 decision at No. 6.

In doubles, Grinnell won 8-4 at the top two doubles positions with Cvrkota-Nielsen and Hickey-Anushka Joshi '18.

In the Simpson match, Banach earned a 6-0, 6-0 shutout at No. 6 singles. Other winners were Cvrkota (6-0, 6-1), Hickey (6-1, 6-2), Nielsen (6-0, 6-1), Joshi (6-2, 6-1) and Guan (6-2, 6-0). The teams of Cvrkota-Nielsen and Hickey-Joshi won 8-0 shutouts at the top two doubles spots. Banach and Shannon Hautzinger '18 won 8-1 at No. 3.

Several Grinnell players moved up the Pioneers' all-time career and season charts. Joshi is now eighth in career doubles wins with 57, while Hickey is fourth for most doubles wins in a season with 22. Cvrkota and Nielsen are tied for ninth with 21.

In singles, Cvrkota ranks third with most wins in a season with 24 and Nielsen and Hickey are tied for sixth with 22.

The Pioneers are now off until April 22.