Nevada tops Carthage, rain

Nevada No. 2 singles player Justdan Lockwood returns the ball to Jeff Pinnell of Carthage during Tuesday's Southwest Conference dual. Lockwood beat Pinnell 8-2, and Nevada won 5-1 in a rain-shortened match.

Nevada Daily Mail

NEVADA, Mo. -- Fighting a cold mist that more resembled the spot-free rinse cycle at a car wash than actual rain, the Nevada Tigers made quick work of the Carthage Tigers in a Southwest Conference tennis dual Tuesday.

Nevada won 5-1, with the match being called when Nevada had clinched thanks to taking all but one singles match.

Only No. 1 singles player Ryan Kimbrough lost, and he played well against arguably the best player in the conference in Carthage's Mark Lingenfelter.

Kimbrough led early 3-2, but Lingenfelter used an attacking style to overcome Kimbrough. With each volley Lingenfelter would move a step closer to the net, and Kimbrough had trouble getting the ball by his speedy opponent.

The most exciting match of the evening came at No. 3 singles where Taylor Hall overcame a 5-2 deficit to knock off Jacob Comer 9-7.

Hall frustrated Comer, refusing to succumb to the Carthage netter as the tide began to turn in the eighth game.

Even so, Hall was down 7-6, before winning the final three consecutive games to take the victory.

Justdan Lockwood knocked off Jeff Pinnell 8-2 at No. 2 singles. Lockwood controlled the entire match.

Jake Holmes also was impressive as he topped Curtis Westbay at No. 4 singles, 8-2.

The final two singles matches were played under the harshest conditions, as the court began to get downright slick.

Nevada was still able to win the final two, as Erik DeLaney bested Justice Sanchez 8-1, and Devin Ozkal beat Joseph Enderle 8-6.

The win by Ozkal was big as Enderle had been playing No. 5 singles the first time Nevada and Carthage met (a 6-3 NHS win on April 19). At No. 6 Tuesday, Ozkal's victory enabled the teams to call off the remainder of the match with no doubt who the better team was.

All that the two teams skipped were three doubles matches, and even had Carthage swept them, they couldn't beat Nevada in the team score.

Nevada improved to 4-4 overall in duals, 3-2 in the conference. The Tigers are scheduled to play in the Monett tournament Friday, and return home for a match May 4 against Clinton.

Nevada's final conference match is May 9, at Webb City.