Jay gets first victory

With a 2-1 lead, the Patriots needed to take just one of the two matches that went to three sets. Kyla McKibben and Alicia Degler came through.
The No. 2 doubles duo bounced back Monday from a second-set defeat to win their match over Delaney Miller and Christie Casperson and lift the Jay County High School girls tennis team to its first victory of the season, 3-2 over the visiting Winchester Golden Falcons.
“It’s great. I’m so proud of the girls,” said JCHS coach Susan Garringer, whose team had dropped its first three matches to Bellmont, Marion and Bluffton. “I knew they could do it. I told them it’s just a matter of having confidence you can win the match, and they’re feeling that more and more …”
After taking their opening set in relatively easy fashion, Degler and McKibben dropped the second 6-4. But with the match on the line they got back on track.
The Patriot pair won the opening game of the deciding set and rolled out to a 5-2 victory. It took a 30-love lead with Degler serving for the match before Winchester pushed back to deuce.
Caupp and Chenoweth fought off a couple of game-point opportunities for the Golden Falcons before consecutive unforced errors gave them the 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
“They played smart,” said Garringer. “They really were concentrating on placement of the ball … They kept it away from the net player with a lot of cross-court shots.
“They show a lot of promise. They’re learning to play together as a team a lot better.”
Junior Jessica Ooten earned the only singles victory for the Patriots as she cruised past Mylie Winger at the No. 2 spot.
She rolled to a shutout victory in the opening set and never trailed in the second on the way to a 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Seniors Danielle Chenoweth and Ashley Caupp improved to 2-1 on the season as they were in control against Heather Hersberger and Kristin Steveson at No. 1 doubles. The JCHS duo finished off the first set on Caupp’s server, and then she added a drop shot for a winner to close out the 6-3, 6-3 triumph.
“They’re a strong doubles team,” said Garringer of Caupp and Chenoweth. “This is their third year playing together. They move very well together on the court.
“No. 1 doubles and No. 2 doubles were very strong. Tonight they both won. We really needed that.”
Cindy Hein joined Degler and McKibben in playing three sets, fighting back to take the second set after dropping the first. But Winchester’s Kylie Amarino reclaimed control in the third set to hand Hein a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 defeat.
Emily Huntsman dropped a close match to Robin Goodhew at No. 1 singles despite having leads in both sets. She was up 3-2 in the opener and 4-3 in the second set, but couldn’t keep Goodhew at bay in a 6-4, 7-5 loss.
“Emily put more pace on the ball. (Goodhew) got everything back, took the pace off,” said Garringer.
“She had a tough match. But she’s improving. She’s really learning the singles strategy.”

Junior varsity
Jay County picked up four doubles victories, but fell to the Golden Falcons 6-5.
Trisha Hein and Shawna Miller cruised to their victory at No. 5 doubles 8-0. Other doubles victories came from the teams of Brittany Stevens and Mackenzie McIntire, Avery Loyd and Miranda Reinhart, and Brie McGhee and Mackenzie Overholser.
Jill Dirksen earned an 8-5 win at No. 4 singles.[[In-content Ad]]