Panther Tennis Defeats

Belton 10 - 9

    The Panther Tennis Team (3 - 1), came back victorious from their first road trip of the season with a 10-9 victory over the Belton Tigers.  "This was a very tricky match for us.  We had just beat Belton 14-5 the past weekend and were going into this match without our number one boy.  This meant that all our guys had to move up a spot and they did a nice job of rising to the challenge," Coach Simonek. 

    The Panthers would open up the match with a 4-3 lead after the doubles match play.  The score was tied 3 - 3 after the boy's and girl's doubles were finished.  The match lead was left in the hands of the mixed doubles tandem of Alex Foster and John Kidwell.  Foster/Kidwell would pull out the lead for the Panthers with a third-set victory over Belton.  Others winning big doubles matches for the Panthers were Aaron Miller/Evan Harder, Jon Hudson/Ben McCarter, and Lizzie McCarter/Elizabeth Allinson.

    The Panthers would stay solid in singles.  Jon Hudson, Evan Harder and Ben McCarter were quickly off the courts with solid victories for the Panthers.  "These guys are doing an awesome job this year and are all undefeated in singles and doubles match play," Coach Simonek.  Leading the way for the Pantherettes was Brittany Dunlap, who played an outstanding three-set match at #2 singles and pulled through a huge win for the team.

    The match would get tight with three-set matches taking place on many of the courts.  The Tigers would tie up the match count at 8-8, but then Elizabeth Allinson came off the court with an impressive two-set victory at number 6 girls singles.  Only minutes later though, the Tigers tied the match back up at 9 - 9.  The victory would now be determined by the last match on the court, number 6 boys singles.  Playing six singles for the Panthers was Ross Natividad.  "Ross new that the match was in his hands for the team and did a great job of playing confidently and pulling through the tenth win for the team," Coach Simonek.  Ross would take the match from the tigers with a victory in a third-set tie-breaker.

    The Panther tennis team will next compete in the Austin Westwood/Westlake Team Tennis Tournament.  The tournament will take place on September 9 & 10, 2004.  "This is always a great tournament for us to be a part of, the competition there is awesome.  It really makes us compete at a higher level and gives a good idea of where we are at as we head into district play," Coach Simonek.