By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Lady Raiders
The East Carter girls tennis team continued their winning streak in a close match last Monday versus Ashland Paul Blazer. They beat the Blazer girls 3-2, for their tenth team win and a season record of 10-1. But it could have easily gone for Blazer if it hadn’t been for the determination of East’s Maria Hayes in singles competition.
Hayes beat Ashland’s Abby Meek 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), one of the top ranked singles players in the 16th Region according to coach Jeff Porter, after a loss to Meek earlier this season in Ashland. That match, he said, was also very close, going to a third set tiebreaker.
The East Girls needed that win, because they lost their other two singles matches against Blazer, with Ashland’s Aubrey Hay beating Kaitlyn Conley 8-2 and Emily Trodgen winning over East’s Andrea Ferguson 6-1.
The girls fared better in doubles competition, winning both their matches against Paul Blazer and giving the Lady Raiders their win.
Emma Moudy and Aliya Lewis beat Elizabeth Davis and Isabella Mahorn 6-1, 3-6, and 10-6 in the first doubles match-up.
“This was an important win for the girls, in terms of the regional seeding,” Porter said.
Audrey Tackett and Bella Poskas then brought the East ladies their third win of the day, and the team the match, by defeating Katie Hutchison and Amelia Lucas 8-6.
East Carter Boys
The East Carter Boys didn’t fare as well, losing 2-1 and taking them to a season record of 6-5.
In singles action the boys lost their first match and won their second, with Tanner Osborne losing to Ashland’s Ryder Riggs 9-7 before Wilson Tomaselli brought home the only win of the day for the East Carter boys team. Tomaselli beat the Tomcats’ Finn Robinson 9-7.
What the boys needed was success in doubles competition to bring home a win for the team. This wasn’t meant to be, however, with Lane Moudy and Brant Harris losing handily to Blazer’s Cody Camp and Cameron Brown 8-2.
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