No. 2 WashU Women's Tennis Splits Weekend Results

Bears fall to No. 4 UChicago but sweep No. 27 Grinnell College on Senior Day

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:47am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a women's tennis match, with overlapping planes of blue, green, and yellow representing the dynamic action on the court.The Bears' narrow loss to UChicago exposed the tight margins at the top of the UAA, setting the stage for a potential postseason rematch.Chicago Today

The No. 2 ranked Washington University in St. Louis women's tennis team split their results this past weekend, falling 4-3 to the No. 4 ranked University of Chicago before bouncing back with a commanding 7-0 sweep of No. 27 Grinnell College on Senior Day.

Why it matters

The loss to UChicago marked the Bears' second defeat of the season to a lower ranked conference opponent, tightening the margins in the University Athletic Association (UAA) standings. However, the team views the defeat as a valuable learning opportunity ahead of the UAA Championships and a potential rematch with UChicago.

The details

Against UChicago, the Bears fell behind early by dropping the doubles point, but fought back to take three singles matches and surge ahead. However, UChicago responded by winning the final three singles matches to clinch the 4-3 victory. The next day, WashU dominated Grinnell, sweeping the doubles and singles matches to celebrate their seniors with a commanding win.

  • The loss to UChicago occurred on Saturday, April 11.
  • The sweep of Grinnell College took place on Sunday, April 12, which was Senior Day for the Bears.

The players

Paige Madara

Head coach of the Washington University in St. Louis women's tennis team.

Eleanor Archer

Junior on the Washington University in St. Louis women's tennis team who won a singles match against UChicago and swept her matches against Grinnell College.

Amber Edmonds

Senior on the Washington University in St. Louis women's tennis team who won her singles match against UChicago and swept her match against Grinnell College on Senior Day.

Eliana Hanna

Senior on the Washington University in St. Louis women's tennis team who won her doubles match against Grinnell College on Senior Day.

Ally Lin

Sophomore on the Washington University in St. Louis women's tennis team who won her doubles and singles matches against Grinnell College.

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What they’re saying

“It's nice to see what adjustments we need to make and hopefully see [UChicago] again [at UAA Championships].”

— Paige Madara, Head Coach

“Chicago is always going to be a really really tough match for us. … They're a strong competitor.”

— Paige Madara, Head Coach

“Looking back at how we handled those two points, they definitely got the better of us [today] and capitalized off of tough moments.”

— Paige Madara, Head Coach

“We know what we need to do, and we'll get a little bit stronger to get ready for that first UAA heat.”

— Paige Madara, Head Coach

“I think we're such a deep team. I believe each player contributes a key skill or quality that helps them come together and overcome our opponents.”

— Paige Madara, Head Coach

“Our senior class is just so tough and so phenomenal. They've had an amazing career on campus, and it's really special to get to celebrate them this weekend and have a few more weeks with them going into the postseason. They've made a huge impact and set a lot of history for the program, and we're really proud of them.”

— Paige Madara, Head Coach

What’s next

The Bears will close out their regular season at home on April 18 against North Central College, utilizing the game as a final tune-up before the UAA Championships in two weeks.

The takeaway

This weekend's split results highlighted the Bears' depth and resilience, as they bounced back from a tough loss to a conference rival with a dominant sweep of another ranked opponent. The narrow defeat to UChicago also underscored how tight the margins are at the top of the UAA, emphasizing the importance of the Bears' postseason play to secure their position as the top seed.