Lady Panthers trounce Hillsboro, Roxana
BY AARON OTTIS
SPORTS EDITOR
JERSEYVILLE – The Lady Panthers’ tennis team seems to be back on the winning track.

After suffering two 9-0 defeats last week, Jersey picked up wins against Hillsboro (8-1) and, most recently, a 7-2 home victory over Roxana.

“I felt great about that one,” Jersey coach Beth Morgan said. “ After losing 9-0 to Alton, and then 9-0 the next night against Marquette, we just came out and tried to have some fun. I just told the girls to get on the courts and have some fun, just do some basic things right and it would work out.”

That mindset worked for Jersey, with the only Lady Panthers’ loss coming in No. 3 doubles. Danah McCreary defeated Harling 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, and Kelsey Nairn beat Gadd by the same score at No. 2. No. 3 singles player Kali DeSherlia defeated Neiman 6-2, 6-2, while Lindsey Jungk fought through a ten-point tiebreaker to win her match 6-7, 7-6, 11-9 over Williamson at No. 4 singles. Margaret Welbourne defeated Thacker 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5, and Carlee Crawford beat Pianfetti 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

In No. 1 doubles action, McCreary-Nairn defeated Harling-Gadd 6-2, 6-1. DeSherlia-Jungk won 7-5, 6-3 over Neiman-Williamson. Thacker-Pianfetti beat Jersey’s team of Elliott-Stotler 3-6, 6-1, 4-6 in the final match.

“We were just a completely different team that night,” Morgan said. “It was nice to see they were all enthusiastic, and everyone had their heads in the match. It was a good one.”

The match against Hillsboro also saw Crawford return to a varsity spot. Jenna Bechtold, who played very well at the Alton Riverbend Tournament, had been moved into the No. 6 singles position last week, but she struggled against the more experienced varsity players.

“I wanted to give Jenna the opportunity to show what she could do at the varsity level,” Morgan said. “We knew that going up against Marquette was going to be a tough match, and she ended up losing 6-0, 6-0 there. She has the athleticism to compete; she just has to work on the mental side of a varsity match. It is a different game. She showed a tremendous amount of potential at the Riverbend Tournament. I think she was nervous about Marquette. That is a big step to make, but I fully expect to see her have an impact on our team in the future.”

“With Carlee, she will go three sets if necessary and that she will keep her head in the game and keep moving,” Morgan said. “She’s been there, so she has more experience to draw upon when she needs it.”

Jersey’s top players struggled against Roxana, and the two losses in that match came at the top.

Danah McCreary, the Lady Panthers’ No. 1 singles player, lost 6-0, 6-1 to Tweedy. Tweedy combined with Peach to beat McCreary-Nairn 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

“We work hard at practice, and we talk about what can improve during changeovers,” Morgan said. “There are times where you would love to go out there and play it for them because you know that they can do it, they just aren’t doing it on the court. Danah and Kelsey feel a tremendous amount of pressure being 1-2. For Danah, it is a little different because she played No. 1 some last year. Nairn was the No. 5 player last season, and now she is No. 2. It is a completely different entity. When those two are on, they are unstoppable. They have the basic foundation in place. They just need to have confidence in themselves and each other. The can compete with these girls, and they can win against these girls.”

At Jerseyville
Jersey 7, Roxana 2
Singles
Tweedy (R) def. McCreary 6-0, 6-1; Nairn (J) def. Peach 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; DeSherlia (J) def. Pfeiffer 0-6, 7-5, 7-6; Jungk (J) def. Stanley 6-0, 7-5; Welbourne (J) def. Becker 6-0, 6-2; Crawford (J) def. Slayden 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Doubles
Tweedy-Peach def. McCreary-Nairn 6-4, 6-4; DeSherlia-Jungk def. Pfeiffer-Slayden 6-3, 7-5; Elliott-Stotler def. Becker-Stanley 6-3, 6-3.

Lindsey Jungk sets up for a return during her 6-3, 6-3 doubles win over Roxana with partner Kali DeSherlia.
Aaron Ottis/thejcstar.com