Tiger tennis sweeps Monett

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada Tiger tennis team opened the season Tuesday with a 9-0 sweep on the road against Monett.

Derek Fast, Ryan Kimbrough, Ed Horst, Justdan Lockwood, Adam Gullett and Jake Holmes all won individual matches for the Tigers. Fast teamed with Kimbrough, Horst paired with Gullett and Lockwood joined Holmes for doubles match wins.

The Tigers got the sweep, but none of the scores were dominant.

Fast beat James Newton 8-4 in the match featuring both teams' aces.

In the number-two singles match Kimbrough defeated Luis Cecenas 8-3.

In the number-three match Horst topped Kyle Saige 8-2.

Lockwood won the number-four match over Giaunluca Sandei 8-3.

In the number-five match, Gullett earned an 8-2 win over Darren Meier.

The final singles match had Holmes getting by Andrew Argetta 8-3.

"It was a nice opening match for us," Nevada coach Dennis Pendrak said. "We were generally able to hit the ball where we wanted."

Pendrak said the team is still in the early stages of its development.

"Fundamentally, we're behind, or we're not where I want us to be," Pendrak said. "We spend a lot of our practice time drilling."

Pendrak said the team's players should get better fundamentally, simply because of hard work.

"They're doing it (right). We drill pretty well," he said.

The Tigers have their lineup almost set at this point. With Fast being the number-one player, all the way down to Holmes at number-six. Although the team will be getting Taylor Hall back at some point, and he will likely be the number-five player.

"We'll probably keep seven kids on varsity," Pendrak said.

Pendrak also said the order of players could change, only if a player in a lower spot knocks off one above them.

"They like to challenge each other," Pendrak said. "But now that we get in the competitive part of our season, it's difficult."

The Tigers will have their home opener Thursday when Joplin visits Nevada High School. The match is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.

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