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Tigers overpowered in tennis
By Joe Warren
Nevada Daily Mail
NEVADA, Mo. -- A pair of victories by senior Anita van Rooyan were not enough as the Nevada Lady Tigers fell short in an upset bid against Joplin in the season opener Thursday.
Van Rooyan beat Sidra Zaidi in No. 4 singles and teamed with Megan Stacy to beat Zaidi and Hannah Ingle in No. 2 doubles to give the Lady Tigers their only wins in a 7-2 defeat.
The day started out looking like a possible upset could be in the works as Molly Ferree, Stacy and van Rooyan all jumped out to 1-0 leads in their respective singles matches.
Ferree would not win another point, as she fell to Natalie Alcorn at No. 2 singles, 8-1.
Stacy led 2-1, but was upended by Joplin's Ingle at No. 3 singles.
At No. 1 singles, Whitley del Rosario ran into state power Rachel Lazenby and Joplin's star lived up to her billing with an 8-1 outcome.
Nevada also lost their other two singles matches. Joplin's Dana Linnes defeated Nevada's Elise McNeil 8-2 at No. 5 singles.
At No. 6 singles, Colleen Didden lost to Michelle Moorman 8-1.
In doubles, del Rosario and Ferree fought hard at No. 1, but lost to Lazenby and Alcorn 8-4.
At No. 3 doubles, the team of McNeil and Didden fell short against Linnes and Moorman, 8-1.
Meanwhile van Rooyan's win in singles was by an 8-4 margin, and the doubles win was an 8-6 decision.
"It's kind of what we expected for our first match," Nevada assistant coach Elizabeth Hadler said. Hadler and volunteer assistant Lex Blue teamed up to sit in for head coach Dennis Pendrak, who was in Marionville Thursday, helping his daughters move in at college.
"No surprises," Hadler said. "They're one and two are tough."
Hadler said the team showed heart by battling through the entire match.
"They're putting fourth the effort," she said.
Hadler said the team had its work cut out for it.
"Just consistency and moving," she said. "I told them to keep their feet moving. They tend to stand around until they see where the ball's going."
Nevada will be back in action today as they open Southwest Conference play at Webb City. The Lady Tigers are the defending conference champions.
Pendrak is scheduled to be back on the sidelines this afternoon.