Fort Scott tennis takes second at LCHS

Saturday, September 3, 2011

PARSONS, Kan. -- A first-place finish by the Tigers' No. 2 doubles team led Fort Scott High's girls' tennis team to second place at the Labette County Invitational here Thursday.

Ashlyn Baugher and Haleigh Whitten played together for the first time this season and went 4-0. The Tigers finished one point behind host LCHS for first place.

"Ashlyn and Haleigh teamed up today and had a very solid tournament," Fort Scott head coach Lynn Barr said. "Ashlyn really turned her game around from last week and was pretty solid all day and Haleigh played some very good doubles. Haleigh does an excellent job of covering the court and closes in on the weak balls at the net very well. They both still have things to work on, but showed a lot of progress today."

Baugher and Whitten began with an 8-3 victory over Laikyn Long/Emily Baden of Pittsburg. They followed with a shutout of Coffeyville's Taylor Neal/Nikki Glass. That was followed with an 8-2 verdict over Sami Brown/Paige Smith of LCHS. They downed Haley Akridge/Beth Ungles of Chanute, 8-5, in the final match.

Baugher had played doubles in the season-opening Parsons Invitational here last week while Whitten was the No. 2 singles player then.

Michelle Buntain and Corina Harrison finished second in No. 1 doubles. They defeated Jessica Curlee/Brittany Wilde of Pittsburg, 8-2, and Haley Smith/Rachael Jones of Coffeyville, 8-1. They lost to Lara Nance/Elyse Merritt of LCHS, 8-4, but came back to beat Chanute's Alexix Thurston/Madison Wendt, 8-4.

"Michelle and Corina played OK at times, but just weren't playing with the intensity that they needed to for most of the day," Barr said. "But they really picked it up in their final match against Chanute and played a very good match, more the way they need to be playing all the time. Hopefully they will build on this match and get the momentum going in the coming weeks."

Both singles entries placed third. Courtney Crain, playing No. 1 singles, beat Megan Reed of Pittsburg, 8-6, and Callie McKaskill of Coffeyville, 8-1. She lost to LC's Katie Anderson, 8-2, and Chanute's Czarina Ramos, 8-3.

"Courtney had a solid tournament. Her match against Pittsburg was closer than last week," Barr said. "The Pittsburg girl played a better match, and Courtney hung on and came away with the win. Much like last week, once she got a rhythm in her two losses, she started stroking the ball pretty well, she just wasn't able to close out enough points. But both losses were to good players."

Kenna Savage moved to singles and finished 2-2 in No. 2's. She beat Tayita Abudu of Coffeyville, 8-2, and Breianna Brooks of Chanute, 8-1. She lost to Katy Short of Pittsburg, 8-2, and Lakyn Baughman of Labette County, 8-0.

"She stroked the ball well and played some good points," Barr said. "As she gets more experience and begins to construct some points she will be even tougher to beat. She is playing well enough, it's hard to remember at times that this is only her second high school tournament."

The Tigers will be at Independence, Kan., Thursday.