SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's tennis team came up short in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opener on Tuesday, falling 4-3 to Kutztown on a sunny and chilly afternoon at Robb Sports Complex.
 
Shippensburg (0-8, 0-1 PSAC East) earned its three points in singles play from senior Jenna Sluymer, freshman Kendall Winters and sophomore Merel Hoekstra.
 
At No. 1 singles, Sluymer had a close first set, 6-4, and controlled the second set, 6-2. At No. 3 singles, Winters had long rallies against her opponent. She took the first set, 6-4, and was down 5-2 in the second set but fell just short on a comeback and lost 6-4. In the third-set tiebreak, Winters was tied 3-3 with her opponent before she pulled away for a 10-5 win.
 
At No. 5 singles, Hoekstra won the first set 6-4, but fell short in the second set, 6-3. In the third-set tiebreak, she had an 8-1 lead before her opponent started a comeback. Hoekstra found her footing and won the tiebreak, 10-6.

In doubles, the Raiders claimed eight games in total.
 
Kutztown (1-6, 1-1) claimed the doubles point by winning all three flights and took the match by virtue of wins at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6 singles.
 
The Raiders will travel to East Stroudsburg on Saturday for a conference matchup at noon.