A case is point is the matches its boys and girls high school tennis teams played Monday against Gordon Lee. The girls lost 5-0 and the boys fell 4-1.
“We got some good matches in. but when you lose in the region it hurts your seeding,” head coach Mark Hibbert said. “But they have to play more matches so they can play the game better.”
In singles play, Abbey Hibbard lost 6-3, 6-1; Catherine Harris fell 6-0, 6-0; and Caroline Moore was defeated 6-0, 6-1. In doubles play, Taylor Vaughn and Halie Weismith were beaten, 6-0, 6-0, while Abbey Stegall and Emily Willingham fell, 6-0, 6-0.
In boys singles play, Ben Perkins got the lone match victory for the Eagles, as he defeated his foe 6-0, 6-7, 6-2. Stephen Barton fell 6-3, 6-1; LaChaz Phillips was outscored 6-0, 6-0; Andrew Tyree and Jake Newhouse were decisioned 6-2, 6-1; and the Eagles forfeited the No. 2 doubles match.
The losses dropped the girls record to 4-2 on the season while the boys fell to 0-6.
The coach said the teams are trying to pick up skills as they compete in regular season games. “A lot of the players on the teams we play compete in tournaments in the offseason. Our players are just learning, with the exception of Ben. His superior strokes paid off for us Monday.
“Now we just have to play our matches one at a time and try to improve with each game.”
Excel returns to the courts Thursday, when the 6-A team steps up in divisions to play AAAA Woodland.