EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (Sept. 5, 2024) — The Excelsior Springs girls’ tennis team returned to winning form on Thursday with a commanding 6-1 victory over Raytown at home. After a tough loss earlier in the week, the Tigers rallied in both singles and doubles play, demonstrating solidity and perseverance throughout the match.
In singles competition, Shelby Stodden set the tone with a decisive 8-1 victory over Mylah Carr, while Megan Riegel followed suit, dominating Jayleigh Weatherspoon with an 8-0 win. Laney Smith was unable to complete her match against Olivia Bell, but the Tigers continued to excel, with Ananya Carrel earning a hard-fought 8-6 win against Maleah Myers. Lily Long added to the Tigers’ success, defeating Gabrielle Evans 8-6, while Olivia Deere battled but did not finish her match against Adrienne Hardiman.
In doubles play, the Tigers showed strong teamwork. The pairing of Stodden and Malaya Tedesco cruised to a 6-3 victory over Carr and Weatherspoon, while Carrel and Smith secured an 8-0 win against Evans and Hardiman. Riegel and Long put up a good fight but were edged out 6-8 by Bell and Myers in a closely contested match.
Match Recap:
Singles:
- Shelby Stodden def. Mylah Carr (8-1)
- Megan Riegel def. Jayleigh Weatherspoon (8-0)
- Laney Smith vs. Olivia Bell (DNF)
- Ananya Carrel def. Maleah Myers (8-6)
- Lily Long def. Gabrielle Evans (8-6)
- Olivia Deere vs. Adrienne Hardiman (DNF)
Doubles:
- Stodden/Tedesco def. Carr/Weatherspoon (6-3)
- Riegel/Long lost to Bell/Myers (6-8)
- Carrel/Smith def. Evans/Hardiman (8-0)
With this strong performance, the Lady Tigers (2-1) are set to hit the road for their next match, taking on Fort Osage (1-1) on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
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