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Parry McCluer High School girls tennis teammates Sadie Mays and Addisen Roberts defended their title as Pioneer District doubles champions on Friday morning at the Southern Virginia University courts in Buena Vista. Mays, a senior, and Roberts, a junior, teamed up to earn a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bath County’s Sadie Alphin and Abbey Phillips.
Pleased with both players, first-year PM head coach Alyssa Sewell said, “Great doubles match. The girls adapted, and Sadie Mays played the best tennis I’ve seen all season.”
After the doubles tournament was done, Roberts competed in the singles tournament and lost to Bath’s Alphin 6-4, 6-3 in the finals. “They’re always back and forth,” said Sewell.
Last Wednesday at SVU, the Fighting Blues suffered their first loss of the season last Wednesday, falling to Bath County 5-4 in the Pioneer District championship match.
During the regular season, PM (12-1 overall, 4-0 district) had beaten Bath County (7-5, 0-4) twice, with the Blues winning 5-4 on April 13 at SVU and earning a 6-3 road win on May 9. Last year, the Blues won the district title by beating Bath 5-3.
Despite losing to Narrows twice during the regular season this year, Bath advanced to the finals by earning a 5-4 road win over Narrows on May 12.
On Wednesday at No. 1 doubles, Roberts and Mays won in three sets over Bath’s Alphin and Phillips. Another tough loss was at No. 1 singles. After splitting the regular-season matches, Roberts faced Alphin again and suffered a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 loss. Mays also suffered a three-set loss at No. 2 singles, as did sophomore Peira Conner at No. 5 singles. “Unfortunately, they just weren’t able to get those last ones,” said Sewell Picking up singles wins for PM were sophomores Olive King and Macy Shafer, who combined to win at No. 2 doubles. “They killed it,” said Sewell.
The Blues entered the Region 1C tournament as the top seed and were scheduled to play host to Giles in the quarterfinal on Monday. (See separate story for result.) Mays and Roberts will compete in the Region 1C doubles tournament. For postseason updates, visit www.thenews-gazette. com.
BC 5, PM 4
SINGLES – Sadie Alphin (BC) d. Addisen Roberts (PM) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Abbey Phillips (BC) d. Sadie Mays (PM) 0-6, 6-4, 7-5; Olive King (PM) d. Jess Ingram (BC) 6-1, 6-0; Macy Shafer (PM) d. Brooke Hess (BC) 6-4, 6-2; Allison Hess (BC) d. Peira Conner (PM) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5; MaKenna Ailstock (BC) d. Marley Convers (PM) 6-0, 6-0.
DOUBLES –Roberts and Mays (PM) d. Alphin and Phillips (BC) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5; King and Shafer (PM) d. Brooke and Allison Hess (BC) 6-1, 6-0; Ailstock and Kelsey Eaton (BC) d. Conner and Peyton Chittum (PM) 6-0, 6-1.
