The Joplin High School girls tennis team finally had its full squad available. And the result was a convincing win.
Joplin defeated Carthage 9-0 in a Central Ozark Conference dual on Tuesday night at Carthage High School.
“The girls did really well today,” Joplin assistant coach Richard Perry said. “We finally had a full and healthy varsity lineup and that really helped us get what could have been a tough win.”
At No. 1 doubles, Joplin’s Emma Watts and Astrid Cardenas edged Kianna Yates and Daniela Marquez 9-8 (7-3 tie-breaker).
“Carthage was strong at the top, forcing Astrid and Emma to a tie-breaker,” Perry said. “It was a good test for those girls to have to deal with adversity early in the season.”
At No. 2 doubles, Joplin’s Abry Stayton and Cloey Blank defeated Anayansi Lopez and Katie Barton 8-1. Joplin’s No. 3 doubles team of Mya Ndedi-Ntepe and Brynn Driver beat Beverly Garcia and Lynnd Guerra 8-2.
Watts came from behind to earn a 9-7 win over Yates in the No. 1 singles match.
“Emma had a tough match, having to come back from a 2-5 deficit,” Perry noted. “But she was able to turn up her game when the pressure was on and that’s exactly what I want to see.
“The rest of the girls did outstanding, really pulling from their experience this season, going from playing up a spot or two to playing their position and rolling to some comfortable wins,” Perry added.
At No. 2 singles, Cardenas defeated Marquez 8-1. Stayton handled Lopez 8-2, Blank beat Barton 8-2, Ndedi-Ntepe defeated Garcia 8-0 and Driver defeated Guerra 8-1.
Both teams hit the road on Thursday, as Joplin is at Nixa and Carthage is at Republic.
