GRANGER, Ind. — Abby Banning won a pair of matches to cap her first official collegiate competition, but those wins proved insufficient as the Goshen College Maple Leafs opened their season with a 7-2 loss to Bethel College Tuesday afternoon in women's tennis action.

Banning teamed with Lynnia Noel to win 8-5 at no. 3 doubles, then prevailed 10-7 in a third-set match tiebreaker at no. 6 singles to earn both of the Maple Leafs' team points.

In their first match together, Noemi Salvador and Kendra Lozano climbed out of a hole at no. 1 doubles.

"Salvador and Lozano trailed 4-1 and battled back to 6-5, where they served in a game that could tie the match," said Goshen coach Doug Gossman. But Bethel broke the duo's serve to pull ahead 7-5, then held serve for an 8-5 win.

In singles play, Salvador came within a service break of winning her first set. But Banning was the lone Leaf to actually prevail in her opening stanza, and the undefeated start to her college career drew praise from her coach.

"Abby did a great job in her match, including pulling out the win in the super tiebreak," said Gossman. Banning also finished a win at no. 5 singles on Saturday against Cornerstone, but that result was not recorded because the match was rained out before a team winner was decided.

The Maple Leafs (0-1) continue conference play on Saturday when they travel to Indiana Wesleyan. First serve is set for 11 a.m.

Full Results: Bethel 7, Goshen 2

Singles:
1. Caroline Boger (B) def. Noemi Salvador 6-4, 6-0
2. Adri Ward (B) def. Kendra Lozano 6-1, 6-1
3. Rachel Jennings (B) def. Joelle Friesen 6-0, 6-0
4. Abbey VanDiver (B) def. Lynnia Noel 6-1, 6-0
5. Alaina Donegan (B) def. Chloe Woodward 6-1, 6-1
6. Abby Banning (G) def. Megan Reed 6-4, 4-6, (10-7)

Doubles:
1. Boger/Ward (B) def. Salvador/Lozano 8-5
2. Jennings/VanDiver (B) def. Friesen/Woodward 8-2
3. Noel/Banning (G) def. Reed/Tanner 8-5