The women’s tennis team ended regular-season play Friday on a good note, defeating Evangel University 6-3. This was the team’s last match before heading into the conference tournament next week.

“It was definitely a confidence booster, and we all played really good,” freshman Layne Anderson said. “Our hearts and souls were in that match for some reason more than the others.”

The team is unsure who its first-round matchup will be in tournament play, but is expecting to face a team of equal skill.

“We will probably play a team that is pretty even to us,” Anderson said. “We just want to play our best because when you are playing a team that is equal to you, if you play your best, you should be able to overcome that.”

With a roster consisting of mostly freshmen, the women’s team has had a rocky season and struggled to rack up the wins it was hoping for.

“We didn’t pull out as many wins, but definitely everyone went out, played their hardest,” junior Jen Ackerly said. “Some of us came out winners, and it wasn’t so good for the others, but you can’t win them all.”

Going into the conference tournament, the team is hopeful that each athlete will play to the best of her ability and maintain the level of effort it had against Evangel University.

“We want everyone just to play their best and to keep trying,” freshman Laura Caby said. “With the season almost over, a lot of us are ready to get some wins in and do better.”

After a season of gaining collegiate experience, this young team is hoping is has nowhere to go but up.

“It was a really good building year, especially for us freshmen that are going to be here next year,” Anderson said. “We know what to expect coming into next year, so this season was an experience.”

The Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament begins Friday in Marshall, Mo. The Wildcats will have the No. 5 seed after finishing 1-3 in the league.

The tournament is hosted by Missouri Valley College.