The Waynesburg University women’s tennis team has had many scheduling conflicts this season. When playing away from home on a weekday, the team more often than not will be forced to forfeit a few sets.

“[Senior] Liz [Ensminger] is student teaching, [and there are] a couple are nursing majors,” said head coach Ron Headlee. “It has just been a struggle getting everyone to the matches.”

This was the case at Westminster where the Jackets dropped a 9-0 decision to last year’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference champion. With only five players able to attend the match, the team was forced to forfeit a singles match and a doubles match in the contest.

Ensminger, who usually is Waynesburg’s number two player, was unable to make the trip to New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Sophomore Sierra Stevens was also unable to compete, and junior Aubree Brown, the team’s number one singles player last year, is still injured.

According to senior Wendy Wall, competing without a full lineup often puts players that are in the match in a tough position. With the absences, players have to play outside of their typical competition and shift up in the lineup.

“Playing shorthanded can throw you off a little, especially if you have to play a different line than you’re used to playing,” said Wall.

Wall and sophomore Noelle Hughes paired up at first doubles and dropped an 8-2 decision to the Titan duo of senior Gabriele Eaborn and freshman Julia Serbati. Those two game wins were the only doubles wins for the Yellow Jackets in the entire matchup.

The lone game win for the Yellow Jackets came from sophomore Natalie Johnson at number five singles. However, Johnson eventually fell to freshman Ashley Walsh 6-0, 6-1.

The loss was a bump in the road for the Jackets who have shown growth over the previous few weeks, according to Headlee. This development was on display when they beat Muskingum earlier in the season on Sept. 16.

The team is expected to be at full strength Wednesday, Sept. 27, past publication date, when they take on Washington & Jefferson, a matchup Headlee said he is looking forward to.

“We have a chance of staying in some of these matches,” said Headlee.

Following the competition against W&J on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets will face off against Thomas More Saturday, Sept. 30, in another conference matchup as the team looks to rebound from a winless conference record.