Rolla ekes by Lady Zizzers
The week opened with a match that came down to the wire on Sept. 7, as Rolla edged West Plains 5-4.
The West Plains No. 3 doubles team of Mia Leija and Libby Peugh engineered a huge comeback victory, playing what head coach Jordan Letterman called one of their best matches of the season. The No. 1 doubles team of June Sanderson and Addi Simpson also came close to a win. With an opportunity to go ahead 7-6, Rolla’s No. 1 player hit a clutch shot to bring the game to deuce, eventually closing it out to seal the team victory.
"This was one of those matches where we were extremely close to breaking through and getting our first win," Letterman said. "I was really proud of how every one of our girls competed, and even though we came up just short, I felt like we took another big step forward as a team."
Lady Zizzers fall to Lebanon
Lebanon defeated West Plains 7-2 the following day on Sept. 8.
Despite the team loss, the No. 1 doubles team of Sanderson and Simpson earned an 8-6 victory, and No. 2 singles player Melak Tekle picked up an 8-4 win.
"Lebanon is a very good tennis team, and this was a great opportunity for us to test our skills against strong competition," Letterman said. "I was pleased with how we competed, especially with the number of long rallies and quality points our girls were able to put together."
Tournament halted at Springfield Invitational
Heat halted the Springfield Invitational on Sept. 9 before final team placements could be determined. Matches were eventually moved indoors, and the consolation bracket was dismissed early.
Flight 1 singles player Promise Russell won her opening-round match before falling in the second round. The Flight 1 doubles team of Sanderson and Simpson also won their first-round match before falling to Nixa’s eventual tournament champions.
The Flight 2 doubles team of Peugh and Kinley Green — normally the Zizzers' No. 6 and 7 players — competed against higher-seeded competition, including opponents playing at a No. 1 doubles level. No. 5 player Tekle competed in Flight 2 singles, also facing an opponent who normally plays No. 1 singles.
"I was extremely proud of the way our girls competed against some really strong players," Letterman said. "I wish we could have finished the tournament because I felt like we still had some matches left to win, but it was a great experience for our girls and another opportunity for us to continue growing."
Lady Zizzers snatch a win over Lady Lakers
West Plains earned a 5-4 team victory over Camdenton on Sept. 11, winning one of three doubles matches before taking four of six singles matches to secure the win.
No. 5 singles player Tekle earned her first victory of the season, while No. 2 Sanderson and No. 3 Russell continued their strong play, each earning 8-5 victories.
No. 6 singles player Peugh produced one of the match's biggest comebacks. After falling behind 4-1, she battled back to an 8-6 victory to secure the deciding fifth team point. No. 4 singles player Leija also showed fight, rallying from a 5-2 deficit before narrowly falling short.
At the top of the lineup, No. 1 singles player Simpson faced one of the area's strongest competitors. While the result did not go her way, Letterman noted she competed in several quality rallies and gained valuable experience against high-level play.
"This was a great match from start to finish and our girls showed a lot of fight," Letterman said. "We had several players come from behind, and seeing our No. 6 battle back and secure the deciding fifth point was a great example of the toughness our girls are starting to develop."
West Plains sneaks past Tigers
Playing their second match of the day on Sept. 11, the Lady Zizzers snuck past Waynesville 5-4. Letterman noted the match followed shortly after the Camdenton win, giving the girls little time to recover, but they responded exceptionally well.
The No. 2 doubles team of Russell and Tekle and the No. 3 team of Leija and Peugh both picked up victories, giving West Plains a 2-1 advantage entering singles play. It was the first victory of the season together for the No. 2 doubles squad. The No. 1 doubles team of Sanderson and Simpson nearly completed the sweep, leading 7-6 before Waynesville battled back to win 9-7.
In singles action, No. 2 Sanderson, No. 3 Russell and No. 6 Peugh earned victories to secure the three additional points needed for the team win. Sanderson locked down an 8-0 shutout, while Russell battled through a back-and-forth match before pulling away for an 8-6 victory.
"I was extremely proud of how our girls responded after already playing such a close match against Camdenton," Letterman said. "To turn around without much of a break and find a way to win another 5-4 match says a lot about their effort, toughness and how much this group has grown."
