In a slight change to the typical format of competition, the women’s tennis team of Grand Valley State University hit the courts against the Grand Rapids Community College men’s tennis team in a friendly scrimmage at Ramblewood on Saturday.

Freshman Leah Dancz said it was a lot of fun being able to go out and “play the boys.”

“It was fun to get the boys and girls together from two local schools to play tennis,” Dancz said.

But it was a little more than that for her when she paired up for her last match Saturday.

“I actually played against a good friend of mine and it was so fun because we fought for every point right until the end,” Dancz said.

Dancz was paired up against Casey Feenstra, a friend of five years, while playing in the Grand Rapids MVP Juniors Tennis Program.

Teammate Alyssa Lucas also enjoyed the atypical scrimmage Saturday.

“We always have a good time playing against the boys,” Lucas said. “It’s nice to be able to play them and to be able to have fun too.”

Dancz and Lucas both agreed that the match was good practice against hard hitters.

“Boys being boys, they certainly came out competitive and really hit hard,” Dancz said. “I had to dodge a few really fast serves.”

Dancz said that the fun matchup will help in producing wins the rest of the season.

“We were so relaxed out there,” Dancz said. “Altogether we want to win and when you are having fun, it’s a lot easier to do that. I think we’ll take the fun, relaxed energy from our scrimmage with the GRCC men’s team and carry that with us in the rest of our season.”

The preseason nationally-ranked No. 25 Lakers will be in action for the first time in the spring season on Feb. 24 at Indianapolis.

jmaheredgin@lanthorn.com