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The Parry McCluer High School girls tennis team earned a 5-4 win over rival Rockbridge County in the season opener last Wednesday at the Lexington Country Club courts.
For PM, which had lost both matches against the Wildcats last year, it was the coaching debut of Alyssa Sewell. It was the Fighting Blues’ first win over the Wildcats in four years since they didn’t play each other in 2021, and the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.
PM started the cool and windy evening by winning two of three doubles matches, and the Blues and Wildcats split their six singles matches.
The most competitive match of the day was at No. 1 singles, where RC senior Sophia Fafatas overcame a 7-4 deficit to defeat PM junior Addisen Roberts 9-7.
Second-year RC head coach Andrew Bellairs said Fafatas was “very consistent” in the comeback.
On the other side, Sewell said, “It was a back-and-forth match, very difficult. They played a great match.”
Sewell was pleased with her top two doubles teams for pulling out big wins, and she said Sadie Mays showed “good consistency” in her 8-2 victory over RC freshman Corinna Allen at No. 2 singles.
The Wildcats were missing senior Sara Topasna, one of their top players.
RC and PM are scheduled to meet again at the Southern Virginia University courts, the Blues’ home courts, on Monday, May, 8, at 5 p.m.
On Thursday, the Wildcats suffered a 7-2 home loss to Staunton to fall to 0-2. Scores were not provided from the match.
The Wildcats hope to improve on last year’s season, when they went 7-9 overall and 0-8 in the Valley District, ending the season with a 5-4 road loss to Liberty (Bedford) in the first round of the Region 3C tournament. From that team, they graduated three players: Emily Mahood, Lydia Newhouse and Mary Denson.
However, the Wildcats return six players and have added several promising newcomers. One of those newcomers, junior Katherine Lotts, captured an 8-0 win over PM sophomore Marley Convers, also a firstyear tennis player, at No. 6 singles.
Under Ashlen Hazelwood last year, the Blues went 6-3 and won the Pioneer District title, beating Bath County 5-3 in the finals. They concluded the season with a 5-0 loss to Galax in the Region 1C quarterfinals.
The Blues graduated one player, Sydney Cullen, and return four players. Mays and Roberts return after winning the Pioneer District double title last year, and the Blues also bring back sophomores Olive King and Macy Shafer while adding sophomores Convers and Piera Conner.
Sewell, who played four years of tennis at Southern Virginia University before graduating last year, said she hopes the Blues will advance to the Class 1 state tournament this year.
The Wildcats will play at Lord Botetourt today, Wednesday before playing home matches against Stuarts Draft on Monday and against Broadway in their Valley District opener on Tuesday at the Lexington Country Club courts. Both matches are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
After they return from spring break next week, the Blues will start Pioneer District action at Narrows on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
PM 5, RC 4
SINGLES – Sophia Fafatas (RC) d. Addisen Roberts (PM) 9-7; Sadie Mays (PM) d. Corinna Allen (RC) 8-2; Olive King (PM) d. Eleanor Goodhart (RC) 8-3; Macy Shafer (PM) d. Sydney Remington (RC) 8-3; Julia Newhall (RC) d. Piera Conner (PM) 8-2; Katherine Lotts (RC) d. Marley Convers (PM) 8-0.
DOUBLES – Roberts and Mays (PM) d. Fafatas and Allen (RC) 8-4; King and Shafer (PM) d. Goodhart and Remington (RC) 8-4; Newhall and Lotts (RC) d. Conner and Convers (PM) 8-0.
