March 29, 2024

Tough day on road for Panthers

Host Shenandoah Thursday

HUXLEY — Ballard’s girls tennis team kept the pressure on Creston/Orient-Macksburg all throughout Monday’s dual in Huxley.

The Bombers kept the Panthers from ever establishing a rhythm, leading to an 11-0 win.

The Panthers could not get dialed in.

“Our consistency in our strokes was off all night long,” said Creston/Orient-Macksburg assistant coach Amanda Plymale. “We had way too many unforced errors to be productive and competitive in our matches.”

Both teams came in with relatively young squads.

“I thought our teams would be comparable this year because Ballard also lost a lot of seniors,” Plymale said.

There are lessons to be taken away from Monday.

“We have to continue to work hard in practice and hopefully we can get a few of these things corrected as we move forward,” Plymale said.

Stiff competition will push the Panthers in the upcoming weeks.

“We need to keep pushing hard this year,” Plymale said. “Our season finishes out with strong competitors and we need to be ready.”

UP NEXT — Creston/Orient-Macksburg is back on the court Thursday hosting Shenandoah at 4:30 p.m.

Ballard 11,

Creston/Orient-Macksburg 0

Singles

Bry Ronca (Ball) def. Chloe Hagle (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-1, 6-0); Kate Rietz (Ball) def. Mattie Wheeler (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-1, 6-2); Mikayla Rietgraf (Ball) def. Madison Callahan (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-4, 6-1); Anna Zielke (Ball) def. Sara Williamson (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-1, 6-1); Kari Holmes (Ball) def. Livi Hartman (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-1, 6-0); Lindsey Kaldenberg (Ball) def. Heylee Shields (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-1, 6-3).

Doubles

Ronca/Rietz (Ball) def. Hagle/Wheeler (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-0, 6-0); Zielke/Homes (Ball) def. Williamson/Callahan (C/O-M) 2-1 (6-1, 3-6 (10-5)); Rietgraf/Kaldenberg (Ball) def. Shields/Leah Stow (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-0, 6-0); Sarah Kamp/Rachel Wohlgemuth (Ball) def. Hartman/Rebecca Coleman (C/O-M) 2-1 (6-4, 1-6 (10-7)); Hannah Elliott/Sophie Hartog (Ball) def. Katie Reed/Macy Evans (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-4, 6-2).

JV doubles

Jenna Hernandez/Ariela Johnson (Ball) def. Maisy Franklin/Payton Davis (C/O-M) 2-0 (6-1, 6-3).