Panther tennis hosts Atlantic

Creston girls tennis returns home Tuesday hoping to get back on the winning track against visiting Atlantic.

The Panthers faced two strong Hawkeye Ten opponents Thursday in Shenandoah. Lewis Central handed Creston its first loss of the season, 6-3, before Creston forfeited all three doubles matches in a 9-0 loss to Shenandoah, ranked 10th in Class 1A girls tennis. The Fillies led 6-0 after singles play.

“Shenandoah is one of the best teams we will face all year,” Creston coach Kevin Cooper said. “They have great depth and experience. Unfortunately, the timing of the event was off and with some dual sports situations we were unable to finish the doubles portion. We had a firm departure time for home so the volleyball participants on our team could also make it their event that evening.”

Hollynn Rieck and Kennedy Strider each won singles matches at the top of the lineup against Lewis Central. Sophomores Marlee Stalker and Shaylee Coen teamed up to win at No. 2 doubles, 8-5.

“We had our chances to win the dual and we just weren’t able to close out the close matches,” Cooper said. “Lewis Central is a good team and we were right there with them, but came up short.”

On Friday the Panthers competed in the Saydel Invitational, finishing fifth out of seven teams with 30 points. Only six points separated second place from fifth place in a tightly-contested field behind champion Knoxville with 44 points.

“It was a great event for our girls to play in,” Cooper said. “Saydel has a nice facility and all the teams got to play at one site. One of the things I like about tournaments like this is that since it is flighted, the girls play opponents who play a similar position to them. It gives everybody a chance to play a role in determining who wins the tournament.”

After Tuesday’s home meet with Atlantic tentatively set at 3 p.m. to accomodate the dual sport players also involved in volleyball, the Panthers travel to face a strong Boone team on Wednesday.

Lewis Central 6, Creston 3

Singles — Hollynn Rieck (Cr) def. Macie Meaike (LC), 8-3; Kennedy Strider (Cr) def. Lucy Edwards (LC), 8-3; Lilly Edwards (LC) def. Marlee Stalker (Cr), 8-6; Avary Mass (LC) def. Shaylee Coen (Cr), 8-4; Miley Harrill (LC) def. Brooke Huck (Cr), 8-3; Emily Bills (LC) def. Savannah Jaques (Cr), 8-2.

Doubles — Meaike-Lucy Edwards (LC) def. Rieck-Strider (Cr), 9-8 (7-5 tiebreaker); Stalker-Coen (Cr) def. Lilly Edwards-Mass (LC), 8-5; Harrill-Bills (LC) def. Huck-Jaques (Cr), 6-3.

Shenandoah 9, Creston 0

Singles — Gabbi Jacobs (Sh) def. Hollynn Rieck (Cr), 8-0; Jalyn Gray (Sh) def. Kennedy Strider (Cr), 8-1; Alisya Hansen (Sh) def. Marlee Stalker (Cr), 8-6; Lyla Mather (Sh) def. Shaylee Coen (Cr), 8-1; Nora Martin (Sh) def. Brooke Huck (Cr), 8-5; Rachiel Hobbie (Sh) def. Savannah Jaques (Cr), 8-4.

Doubles — Shenandoah by forfeit.

Saydel Invitational

Team scoring — 1. Knoxville 44; 2. Grinnell 36; 3. Saydel 34; 4. Kuemper Catholic 33; 5. Creston 30; 6. Southwest Valley 11; 7. Centerville 6.

No. 1 singles — Lizzy Nicholson (Saydel) def. Marlee Stalker (Cr), 6-1; Stalker (Cr) def. Deklyn Mullen (SWV), 6-0.

No. 2 singles — Shaylee Coen (Cr) def. Fiona McDaniel (SWV), 6-0; Addy Dunkin (Knoxville) def. Coen (Cr), 6-3; Coen (Cr) def. Millie Peck (Saydel), 6-3.

No. 1 doubles — Hollynn Rieck-Kennedy Strider (Cr) def. Sadie Alberton-Izzy Smith (Saydel), 6-3; Rieck-Strider (Cr) def. Ella Seney-Katie Clark (Grinnell), 6-0; Bridgett Liston-Jordyn Counts (Knoxville) def. Rieck-Strider (Cr), 6-3.

No. 2 doubles — Ruby Thompson-Brooklyn Schroder (Saydel) def. Brooke Huck-Savannah Jaques (Cr), 6-4; Huck-Jaques (Cr) def. Adelynn Cripps-Nora Barnes (SWV), 6-1; Huck-Jaques (Cr) def. Katie Taylor-Finley Cox (Cent), 7-5.