Girls tennis falls to 5A Ridgeview

The Lady Outlaws started their week on the road with a 3-5 loss to Ridgeview. Their match that was to be held at Redmond on Thursday, March 23, was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions.

In Tuesday’s match against the Ravens, the Outlaws were missing five of their varsity players due to spring break, and as a result had to default on No. 4 doubles. It proved to be a great opportunity for the team’s less experienced payers to compete at a higher level, and Coach Bruce Fenn stated that they all stepped up to the challenge and performed well.

Brooke Harper moved up into the No. 1 singles spot and defeated Liz Albin 6-4, 6-4. Fenn noted that Harper was steady, confident, and consistent in overcoming Ridgeview’s hard-hitting No. 2 Albin.

Presley Adelt won her match at No. 4 singles with a 6-2, 6-1, win over Lena Appleby. Fenn stated that Adelt posted the win due to her superior athletic ability, fast feet, and strong court coverage.

The Lady Outlaws also tallied a win at No. 2 doubles, where Sophie Rush and Ava Stotts paired up for the first time this year to defeat Leslie Rebuelta and Hanna Hennessey 1-6, 6-1, 10-4. After the first set loss, the duo could have given up, but they told their coach they needed to stop double-faulting serves and had to get more balls in play. They did just that and easily won the second set and the following tiebreaker for the win.

Fenn said, “They played smart tennis, observed what they needed to do, and executed good shots with good communication, which helped them win the match. Every match is a learning experience. The team accepted their new positions and played their best. It was a special day of tennis.”

The Outlaws were to play at The Dalles on Monday, April 3. They will host Cascade on Tuesday, April 5, and a day later host the Madras White Buffs. The cancelled match against Redmond will be rescheduled for a later date.