The MSMS tennis team secured a satisfying 5-2 win against New Hope only to face a score reversal to Starkville Academy the week of Feb. 26.
MSMS tennis wins 5-2 over New Hope
The Blue Waves won 5-2 at home against New Hope on Feb. 26, marking its second triumph of the season.
The team’s singles players secured two wins, with Frazer junior Ryan Wu winning 6-3, 6-3 and Goen junior Adair Gaines winning 6-0, 6-0.
The Goen doubles teams swept their opponents in straight sets. Senior Sydney Beane and junior Darshi Kher won 6-0, 6-1 for the doubles one team. Seniors Mariane Powell and Rhianna Drake won 6-3, 6-1 for the doubles two team.
The Frazer doubles teams lost, with doubles one juniors Yash Malhotra and Ramon Munoz-Montiel winning the first set but losing following a third set tiebreaker. The doubles two team, featuring juniors Teagan Lotwala and Sanders Hutson, lost in straight sets.
The mixed doubles team of senior Sai Narla and junior Zuxia Li won 6-3, 6-2.
With another win yielding high spirits for the team, the players are putting in the preparation and energy to push out better results as they head toward the district matches.
“The team played great against New Hope,” Kher said. “That being said, [the match] was still a learning experience because it was not a district match. If everyone puts in the time and effort, we have a chance at winning district and state.”
Blue Waves tennis loses 5-2 to Starkville Academy
In its fifth match of the season at home against Starkville Academy on Feb. 29, the Blue Waves faced a 5-2 defeat.
The Goen doubles one and Frazer singles courts were the sole contributors to the team’s score, with Kher and Gaines winning 6-4, 7-5 and Malhotra winning 6-0, 6-0, respectively.
Since several team members were absent from the game, coach Troy King took on new strategies, shuffling some players from their usual positions. Gaines, who played singles for the previous matches, instead played for the Goen doubles one team.
“Even though it was my first time playing with [Kher], I was very excited,” Gaines said. “I felt like we worked and complemented each other’s games well.”
Despite the team’s defeat, the players continue to focus on the experience gained to help create a better outlook for future matches.
“[We all] could have played better because making small, silly errors caused us to lose as a team,” Kher said. “Still, I love to play matches that offer [us] a challenge rather than just an easy win.”
MSMS faces Eupora next in a district match at 2 p.m. March 19 at the MUW Garret Tennis Courts.
