Girls tennis plays short-handed

The girls tennis team fell 4-3 to Cascade and 6-1 to Vale on Saturday, May 3, at home at Black Butte Ranch. The Outlaws were only able to bring half of the their squad due to SAT testing and prom.

Sisters waited out a two-hour rain delay before they took on Cascade in their first match of the day.

Haley Carlson and Savannah Spear (No. 1 doubles) dug deep against a big-hitting Cougar team and scraped out a 6-4, 7-5 victory. Allie Spear and Lacey Gilmore paired at doubles play and proved they can play doubles just as well as singles. The duo suffered a first-set loss, but came back to win 5-7, 6-2, 10-8.

Coach Courtney Collins said, "The rain delay added more stress to the already slightly unnerved Outlaws. Regardless, in typical fashion the girls put their game faces on and played some awesome tennis."

The Outlaws had to immediately get back on the court and face Vale.

"The girls were a little spent compared to Vale who was fresh and super peppy," said Collins. "However, they did their best and went into it with bright smiles and beautiful heads held high."

Allie Spear filled the No. 1 singles spot and won in three sets with scores of 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-8.

Collins stated, "Allie is a quickly rising star of the team. She's an incredible athlete and sportsman."

Two days earlier the Outlaws enjoyed beautiful 80-degree weather at Black Butte Ranch in their match against Junction City. Sisters fell to the Tigers 4-3 in a very tight contest.

Allie Spear played at No. 3 singles and won in three sets with scores of 4-6, 6-2, 10-8.

"Allie has consistently been pulling out wins for the Outlaws in the last few matches," said Collins. "She has so much fight and fire."

Lacey Gilmore (No. 4 singles) won a tug-of-war match in a final score of 7-5, 4-6, 12-10.

The dynamic No. 1 doubles duo of Savannah Spear and Haley Carlson won their match 6-3, 6-4.

Anni Stadeli and Alex Hartford, in their debut match, went up against a team with much more experience and came out on top 6-4, 6-4.

"These Outlaws made shots this week that they didn't even know they had," said Collins. "It's so rewarding to see all the progress these amazing young ladies have made in such a short time frame."

The Outlaws will play in the district championships held at Black Butte Ranch Thursday through Saturday, May 8-10.