McCreary-Nairn second at Riverbend; Jersey struggles with Alton Tuesday
BY AARON OTTIS
SPORTS EDITOR
ALTON - Juniors Kesley Nairn and Danah McCreary have been turning up the heat in No.2 doubles.

The duo grabbed all three of the Lady Panthers’ wins against Chatham Glenwood last week, and took second place in the Riverbend Tournament Saturday.

“They started to come together against Civic Memorial,” Jersey coach Beth Morgan said. “They really pulled it off against Chatham. By the end of the Alton tournament, they were drifting back to where they started the year.”

McCreary and Nairn made short work of Chatham’s Catherin Humke and Kelsey Dunnington in doubles Wednesday, winning 6-2, 6-4. With Jersey losing the match 6-3, McCreary’s 7-6, 6-2 win over Humke at No. 1 singles, and Nairn’s 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Dunnington turned out to be the Lany Panthers’ only wins of the afternoon.

The pair met Alton’s Callahan and Stradal in the championship round at Alton on Saturday, but struggled to get in sync and ultimately lost 6-1, 6-2.

“I was happy with how Danah and Kelsey played against Marquette in the second round of the tournament,” Morgan said. “However, we faltered against Alton in the championship round.”

Callahan-Stradal also got the best of them Tuesday at JCHS, with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat.

For McCreary and Nairn, consistency will be the key to a postseason tournament berth.

“They are our powerhouse,” Morgan explained. “They have a lot of pressure on them, and they know it. When they are both playing well, they are tough to beat. Getting them to play at their highest caliber, and having both girls do that on the same day has been our weak point so far this year.”

Jersey also saw good tennis from freshman Jenna Bechtold, who took fourth place at No. 4 singles. She lost to Granite City’s true No. 4 singles player 6-4, 6-4.

“She hung in there pretty well,” Morgan said. “I was impressed by how well Jenna played as a true freshman. I was also impressed with Stotler and Elliott, since they were some young compared to the field and this was pretty much their first varsity tournament.”

At Chatham
Singles
McCreary def. Catherine Humke 7-6, 6-2; Nairn def. Kelsey Dunnington 6-1, 6-2; Katherine Ayers def. Kali DeSherlia 6-3, 6-2; Murphy def. Jungk 6-2, 6-0; Lindsey Lex def. Margaret Welbourne 6-3, 6-2; Kayla Miller def. Carlee Crawford 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles
McCreary/Nairn def. Ayers/Miller 6-2, 6-4; Humke/Dunnington def. DeSherlia/Jungk 7-6, 6-4; Fasek/Murray def. Elloitt/Stotler 6-2, 6-3.
JERSEY: 4-2 Overall, 2-1 MVC