Highland blanks Jay (04/24/08)

The Scots were just too much. They were too powerful and too accurate, and they showed why they are regarded as one of the better teams in the state.

Anderson Highland, ranked No. 13 by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association, dropped the Jay County High School girls tennis team 5-0 Wednesday.

"The one positive thing we can say is playing this level will probably help us for DeKalb," said Adams of the invitational his team will compete in Saturday." I don't think we're going to play a team any more solid that Highland when we play there.

"It was a good learning experience for the girls.

"There were positives even though we're going to walk away 0-and-5 today. Hopefully there'll be things we can grow with this and help us the rest of the season."

The Patriots (4-5) came close to taking a set in just one of the matches, No. 2 doubles.

Megan Huntsman and Briann Saxman struggled in the first set, but came back and had leads of 3-2, 4-3, and 5-4 in the second. The Highland duo of Alaina Coplin and Michaela Hammel took back-to-back games for a 6-5 lead before the Patriot pair pulled even to force a tiebreaker.

Coplin and Hammel avoided a third set, holding off Huntsman and Saxman for a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) victory.

"No. 2 doubles came out and played maybe just a little bit tight in the first set," said Adams. "Their second set was more true of their ability ...

"They had the opportunity, but just didn't quite finish it. But still it was a quality set for them, something they can grow on. Hopefully they'll have a little more confidence when they play some of the other better teams too."

Hannah McAbee played the next closest match for Jay County, falling 6-1, 6-3 to Abby Beard at No. 3 singles.

She trailed 5-0 in the second set before catching some momentum, taking advantage of Beard's unforced errors to win her first game of the set. She served the win in the next game, and then bounced back from a 15-love deficit to win a third in a row.

Finally Beard was able to put the match away, breaking McAbee at love to end it.

"Hannah really setttled down," said Adams. "She had the ability (to play with Beard)."

Megan Adams took a pair of games from Alex Hammel in a 6-2, 6-0 defeat.

Both of the other matches were shutouts with Mariah Clark falling to Mercy Scott 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles and Tiffani Bickel and Cindy Muhlenkamp losing 6-0, 6-0 to Kelsey McFadden and Ashlan Allison.

Scott hardly let a rally get going, consistent smacking winners off of Clark's serve.

"She's a solid player," said Adams, complimenting Scott's consistent power. "It's almost like playing two No. 1s out there. (Mariah) just played the most awesome player she's ever played."

Junior varsity

The Patriots earned their lone point in doubles action in a 7-1 loss to Highland.

Jay County's Ashley Caupp and Katie Link defeated Quashana Seal and Brittany Harris 9-7.

The Patriots won no more than four games in any of the other matches.[[In-content Ad]]