A few close matches went the other way, and as a result, Joplin suffered a 5-4 setback to Nixa in a girls tennis dual on Thursday.
“We had a chance to win a few of these matches but it wasn’t our day,” Joplin assistant coach Richard Perry said. “It was a tough loss for the girls, but a good learning experience to help us next time we have a close one.”
The Eagles won two of three doubles matches.
At No. 1 doubles, Joplin’s Emma Watts and Astrid Cardenas defeated Arabella Cosgrove and Abigail Fulnecky 8-4.
“Astrid and Emma won their sixth straight match,” Perry said. “They haven’t been playing their cleanest matches this week, but they get the job done.”
Joplin’s No. 2 doubles team of Abry Stayton and Cloey Blank earned an 8-2 win over Ellie Sorgenfrei and Samantha Fulnecky.
“Abry and Cloey played well and finished their doubles match very fast,” Perry said. “They outplayed their opponents the whole match.”
Nixa’s Kylie Burk and Kaylee Chronister defeated Mya Ndedi-Ntepe and Brynn Driver 8-2 at No. 3 doubles.
At No. 1 singles, Watts fought back to earn an 8-6 win over Cosgrove.
“In true Emma fashion she started down 2-5 again before turning up her game, blasting winners past her opponent like it was nothing,” Perry said.
Cardenas defeated Abigail Fulnecky 8-3 at No. 2 singles.
“Astrid cruised in her match and she is in great form right now,” Perry said. “She has been pivotal in helping get the energy going.”
Nixa earned the dual win by winning the final four singles matches.
At No. 3 singles, Nixa’s Sorgenfrei edged Stayton 8-6. Samantha Fulnecky defeated Blank 8-4 at No. 4 singles.
Burk beat Ndedi-Ntepe 8-3 and Chronister defeated Driver 8-4.
Joplin will compete at the Thomas Jefferson Invitational on Friday.
