Tennis tested at Nevada dual

NEVADA -- Fort Scott High School head coach took an opportunity to use some different players and combinations at a best-of-9 dual versus Nevada here Monday. Although the hosts won the dual 5-4, Barr was pleased with being able to give new players an opportunity.

"It's nice to get the opportunity to play the dual match format at least once each season with the players getting to play both singles and doubles," Barr said. "We came close to pulling this one out."

The doubles matches were held first. Davis Drake and Gage Addington played No. 1 doubles and lost to Andrew Arneson and Colton Short, 8-3, as they lost for the first time this season.

Bryce Daly and Hayden Barr were paired together for the first time and took the No. 2 doubles match over Chris Sandoval and Luant Vu, 8-3.

Jesse Guerreo and Jon Carpenter, both new to the program this year, played the No. 3 match and fell to Skyler Crews and Skyler Laning, 8-3.

"In doubles we were not as consistent and we needed to be and at times did not do a very good job of keeping the ball away from the opposing net player, which really limits your chances of being successful," Barr said. "We have to improve our doubles play to have success in the SEK."

Fort Scott won three of the six singles matches. Daly played No. 1 singles and went the distance with Arneson before falling 9-7. Drake won his No. 2 match over Short, 8-4. Addington triumphed in the No. 3 match, 8-2, over Sandoval. Barr defeated Vu, 8-6, in the No. 4 match.

"I thought we played better in our singles matches," Barr said. "Addington and Drake had good solid wins and were pretty much in control throughout their matches. Hayden hung on and came away with a nice win after falling behind 4-5; he came back to win 4 of the next 5 games. Daly started off slow and fell behind 0-5, but then got his rhythm and came back to tie it up and then it was just back and forth for the rest of the match and, unfortunately, the Nevada player hung on for the win."

Guerreo fell to Crews, 8-0, in the No. 5 match and Carpenter lost to Laning, 8-1, in the No. 6 slot, as each played their first varsity singles matches.

"Jon and Jesse were seeing their first ever tennis action and gave us a good effort," Barr noted. "These two are just getting started and hopefully this match experience will help them see things they need to improve on."

The Tigers will play at the Independence Invitational Thursday with play set to begin at 3 p.m.