Lady Tiger netters earn share of conference crown

Monday, September 25, 2017
The 2017 West Central Conference co-champion, Nevada Lady Tiger tennis team, pictured l-r: Hallie Short, Mikena Padgett, Kaitlyn Hogan, Katherine Pruitt, Emma Cheaney and Erika Watanabe.
Submitted photo

The Nevada Lady Tigers are West Central Conference co-champions, along with Warrensburg. Both Nevada and Warrensburg concluded the regular-season conference slate with a 5-1 record.

The Lady Tigers saw their 10 game win streak come to an end Thursday in Joplin, falling to College Height in a non-conference match, 5-4. Nevada then returned to the court on Friday for the West Central Conference tournament, held at Grover Park in Warrensburg.

NHS results

• At No. 1 singles, Nevada senior Emma Cheaney finished in second-place. After receiving a first-round bye, Cheaney opened play in the semifinals, handing Libby Welman of St. Michael’s an 8-3 defeat. In the No. 1 singles championship match, Cheaney was upended by Smith-Cotton’s Elizabeth Matz, 6-4.

• At No. 2 singles, Nevada junior Erika Watanabe placed third. Watanabe also received an opening round bye. In the semifinals, Watanabe was tripped up by Smith-Cotton’s Mariya Slipych, 8-4. It was Watanabe first singles loss of the season. In the No. 2 singles third-place match, Watanabe bounced back, breezing to a 6-1 victory over Warrensburg’s Hannah Shaffer.

• At No. 3 singles, Nevada senior Katherine Pruitt was defeated in the first round by Reese Potter of Clinton, 6-1.

• At No. 4 singles, Nevada senior Mikena Padgett edged St. Michael’s Erika Kingdon in the first round, 8-6. In the semifinal match, Padgett was bested by St. Pius’ Megan McDonald, 8-0. In the No. 4 singles third-place match, Padgett fell to Clinton’s Aubrie Wheeler, 6-3.

• At No. 5 singles, Nevada freshman Hallie Short doubled up Clinton’s Megan Swaters in the first round, 8-4. Short continued her excellent play, coasting to an 8-4 semifinal match victory over Bethany Ballard (Warrensburg). In the No. 5 singles finals, Short was derailed by Anna Slipych (Smith-Cotton), 6-1.

• At No. 6 singles, Nevada senior Kaitlyn Hogan received an opening round bye. In the semis, Hogan prevailed over Warrensburg’s Kourtenay Wirthwein, 8-6. In the No. 6 singles finals, Hogan was toppled by St. Pius’ Annaliese Brogoto, 6-1.

At No. 1 doubles, Nevada’s top duo, Cheaney and Watanabe, placed second, while Nevada’s No. 3 doubles team, Padgett and Short, placed third.

Up next

The Lady Tigers return to the court Tuesday evening, when they look to defend their Class 1 District 12 crown, with the first match set for 4:30 p.m. at the Nevada High School tennis courts — as the second-seeded Lady Tigers square off with third-seeded Clinton.

Check a future edition for all the latest on NHS tennis

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: