A strong start wasn’t enough for the tennis Tigers at Bolivar Monday, in a 5-4 loss on the road. It was their first dual loss of the season.
Republic jumped ahead during doubles, winning two of three matches, including an emotional win in the #1 slot, as Case Birlew and Hunter Creek defeated William VanHoombeek and Chris Holt 8-6. Austin Massey and Isaac Jordan also won their doubles match 8-2.
Jordan and Massey won their singles matches easily, but Republic struggled at the top of the lineup, dropping its matches in the 1-4 slots. “We struggled with unforced errors and figuring out how to attack,” says coach Dan Vales. “This was a good learning experience for a young team before getting to the heart of COC Large play.”
The JV team cruised to 24 wins in 26 matches, continuing a strong start to its season.
“We are just seeing the beginning of what they can possibly do on the tennis courts and [they] have tons of potential,” Vales says. “They are going to be a fun group to watch this year and beyond.”
Republic is 1-1 in dual play.
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