Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College women's tennis team lost a 6-3 home match to Hanover College that lasted nearly four hours at the Mickel-Hoover Tennis Complex in a matchup of the top two teams in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) on Wednesday.

Hanover (8-2, 5-0 HCAC) held a 2-1 edge after doubles with victories on the second and third courts. Franklin (10-1, 6-1 HCAC) tandem of senior Melissa Sanders (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) and freshman Karen Dringenburg (Seymour, Ind./Seymour) picked up an 8-2 triumph at No. 1 doubles.

In singles, Dringenburg dropped only three games in winning on the No. 3 court. Senior Chelsea Howell (West Harrison, Ind./Franklin County) earned a 6-3, 6-2 victory at the No. 2 position.

Hanover won matches on the No. 1, 4, 5, and 6 courts to secure the victory.

Franklin returns to action when members of the team compete at the ITA Central Region tournament at Kalamazoo College (Michigan) from October 2-4.