The Lady Tigers tennis team opened its season with a fourth-place finish at the Kickapoo Invitational, showing encouraging signs that many of the team’s younger players are ready to step into varsity roles. Republic beat Springfield Central in a close match, then lost to Bolivar in a close decision. Host Kickapoo beat Republic in a weather-shortened match end the weekend for the Lady Tigers.
“Every player contributed, won matches, and played really well sometime during the long day,” said new coach David Smashey. “It’s given us confidence that we can compete with really good teams, but also helped us know where we can get better — really, exactly what you want from a start-of-the-season tournament.”
Jasmine Howard, Izzy Wells, Mati Carpenter, Mari Davidson, Elli Woodward, Grace Replogle, Monica Henry, and Lilly Carlo all competed for Republic.
Republic 5, Central 3
Republic won two of three doubles matches. Jasmine Howard and Mari Davidson won 7-6 (8-6), and Izzy Wells and Mati Carpenter won 6-4. In singles, Davidson, Woodward, and Replogle won their matches to clinch the team victory.
Bolivar 5, Republic 3
Wells and Carpenter were the only doubles team to win for Republic, sweeping their match 6-0. Wells also won her singles match, and so did Davidson.
Kickapoo 5, Republic 0
Republic lost all three doubles matches, but two of them were close. Wells and Carpenter lost 5-7, and Monica Henry and Lilly Carlo lost in a tiebreaker. Republic was trailing in two singles matches when lightning forced a delay, and eventually an end of play for the day.