A table with a large container of hand sanitizer was set out at the entrance to the Miami Trace tennis courts Tuesday, Aug. 11, as the Lady Panthers opened this most unusual season, welcoming defending Frontier Athletic Conference champions Chillicothe.
It’s a sign of the times.
In this time of COVID, Chillicothe took the first step toward defending its title with a 5-0 victory over Miami Trace.
“At first singles, we had Savannah Wisecup and they had Abbey Sims-Clark (the FAC’s returning Player of the Year from 2019),” Miami Trace head coach Kim Schirtzinger said.
“Savannah came up from the last spot on our ladder playing second doubles up to first singles this year due to all of our seniors (eight in the class of 2020) graduating,” Schirtizinger said. “So this was her first match ever playing singles and she had to start at against one of the best players in the league.”
Sims-Clark won the match, 6-0, 6-0.
At second singles, it was Miami Trace’s Alex King (a junior) taking on Maddie Schaffer. Schaffer won this match, 6-0, 6-1.
“This is also Alex’s first year playing consistent varsity,” Schirtzinger said. “She filled in for us a few times last year when we had a varsity player out.”
At third singles, it was Miami Trace junior Riley Cruea going against Sydney Wissler. Chillicothe won this court, 6-4, 6-1.
At first doubles, Miami Trace juniors Emma Seyfang and Kendall Elliott played against Abby Pendell and Liliawana Carver. The scores were 6-4, 6-2.
At second doubles, junior Dee Page and sophomore Jenna Goddard of Miami Trace played Asia Penn and Brittany Wright. The result was 6-0, 6-1.
“Our j-v did great,” Schirtzinger said.
Miami Trace’s Brooklyn Riggs (freshman) defeated Haley Laughlin 6-3.
Laughlin then won against freshman Jacinta Pettit, 6-0.
In j-v doubles, sophomores Maddie Frye and Lindsey Carter beat Chillicothe’s Ava Guerra and Taysia Yusuf, 6-0.
Guerra and Yusuf played freshmen Cailtin Davis and Hallie Sword. Davis and Sword were leading, 4-1, when play was concluded.
Miami Trace will return to play Thursday at Hillsboro at 4:30 p.m.
