Harrison takes first at Pittsburg

PITTSBURG -- Fort Scott High tennis player Jennifer Harrison is on a big-time roll. She won the No. 1 singles pool for the third time in her last four outings as she went 4-0 in the Pittsburg Invitational here Thursday, dropping just 2 games the entire day.

Harrison has won 13 of her last 14 matches and is on a nine-match winning streak.

"Jennifer is playing with a little more confidence now that she has been able to get on a little bit of a winning streak and hopefully this will carry through as we get into the SEK and Regional Tournaments," Fort Scott head coach Lynn Barr said.

Harrison (18-8) posted straight-set wins over Iola's Bobbie Sinclair, Columbus' Lexi Murdock and Labette County's Emily McCoach. She also claimed an 8-2 win over Pittsburg's Sam Cicero.

Char Hutchison and Emmah Reeves (12-14), the Tigers' No. 1 doubles team, are on a good run as well. Since starting the season 5-11, the pair have won seven of their last 10. They took second here.

Thursday, they beat Iola's Shelby Reno/Allyson Hobbs, 8-3, Columbus' Laythan Kitch/Madi White in straight sets, and LC's Patricia Stevenson/Paige Smith, 8-6. Their only loss was to Pittsburg's Katy Short/Molly Lundberg in straight sets.

Briana Williams and Breanna Leslie (7-9) finished third in No. 2 doubles. They picked up wins over Iola's Baileigh Seeber/Tori Smith, 8-4, and Columbus' Abby Zahm/Kaley Murillo in a tie-breaker, 8-7 (7-0). Both their losses came by 8-2 scores to Pittsburg's Sam Bollinger/Aliza Benedict and LC's Laney Baughman/Candance Carr.

Alex King (7-16) was 0-4 in No. 2 singles although she lost two matches by 2 games each. She fell to Iola's Cheyanne Vaughn and LC's Haley Page by 8-6 scores. Ashlee Beitzinger of Pittsburg, who was filling an open spot left by Columbus, took an 8-3 win and Pittsburg's Abi Felter claimed an 8-1 decision.

The Tigers will face Nevada Tuesday in a best-of-nine dual at both the varsity and junior varsity levels. Play will begin at 4 p.m.