Indianola, Iowa (Oct. 1, 2025) — The Nebraska Wesleyan women's tennis team delivered a commanding performance on Wednesday afternoon, earning a 6-1 victory in American Rivers Conference play. With the win, the Prairie Wolves improve to 2-5 overall and 2-4 in the A-R-C, while Simpson falls to 1-9 on the season. The result also marks NWU's fourth straight win over the Storm, continuing a streak of consistency against their conference rivals.

The tone was set early as the Prairie Wolves swept all three doubles courts before cruising through five singles victories. Behind resilient play and a blend of veteran leadership and youthful poise, NWU recorded its second A-R-C win of the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Doubles:
Crystal Craft and Caitlin Hudson gave the Prairie Wolves a quick spark, rolling past Simpson's top pair of Coilee Hynek and Savana Walls by a 6-1 score. The duo set the tone with aggressive net play and strong baseline consistency.

Parker Brown and Jayna Erickson faced the tightest battle of the afternoon but stayed composed under pressure. After trading early breaks, the pair surged late to close out a 7-5 victory over Grace Peck and Ava Ridenour.

Gracey Smith and Ella Mahaffy added another steady point for NWU with a 6-2 win against Natalie Collins and Gracie Thompson. The triumph also carried extra significance as it marked Smith's 15th career doubles victory, a milestone for the senior standout.

Singles:
Craft carried her doubles momentum into singles play, powering past Simpson's Grace Peck in straight sets 6-1, 6-2. Her aggressive returns consistently kept Peck on the defensive.

Brown showcased relentless consistency, dropping only three games in a 6-2, 6-1 win over Walls. The junior dictated play from the baseline and never allowed her Walls to settle into rhythm.

In one of the afternoon's most hard-fought battles, Hudson gutted out a 7-6(1), 6-3 win over Hynek. Hudson's composure in the first-set tiebreak proved to be the difference, and she carried that confidence into the second set.

Erickson fell in the lone setback for NWU. Despite battling hard and forcing a decisive third-set super tiebreak, she dropped a 7-5, 3-6, 3-10 to Ridenour.

Smith's strong afternoon continued with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory over Collins. The senior displayed pinpoint precision, dropping just a single game across both sets.

Rounding out the win, sophomore Sylvia Kamradt looked like a veteran as she earned a 6-3, 6-2 over Hannah Roth. Kamradt's ability to finish points at the net sealed the deal.

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

• Gracey Smith: Earned her 15th career doubles victory and added a commanding win at No. 5 singles.
• Crystal Craft: Recorded straight-set singles and doubles victories, dropping just four games combined.
• Parker Brown: Went 2–0 on the day, securing both doubles and singles points for NWU.
• Sylvia Kamradt: Picked up her fourth collegiate singles win in decisive fashion.

UP NEXT

The Prairie Wolves return home for another key A-R-C matchup, hosting Coe College on Friday, October  3rd at 4:00 PM in Lincoln.