Lady Outlaws dominate opponents on the tennis courts

The Lady Outlaws took care of business on the tennis courts with a 5-3 win over the Eagles at Stayton on Tuesday, April 25, and two days later a 6-2 win at home against Madras.

Juhree Kizziar (No. 1 singles) maintained her undefeated season with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Laina Atiyeh. It was Kizziar’s best performance of the year so far. She was very consistent and was powerful in all her shots.

Katy Ryan moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 singles and handled windy conditions very well. She dominated her match with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Kadence Kuiken. Ryan hit powerful ground strokes throughout the match and had very few unforced errors.

Freshman Rylie Bick (No. 3 singles) continued to improve her game and forced Audrey Ritchie to a tiebreak. Bick lost the first set 5-7, but fought back to win the second set 6-6 in games and won the seven-point tiebreaker 7-3. She fell 4-10 in the tiebreak.

Coach Bruce Fenn said, “This exciting end to her efforts was a great learning experience for Rylie.”

Josie Patton and Charlotte Seymour (No. 1 doubles) improved in their movement on the court and their shot selections, which resulted in a 6-2, 6-1 win over A. Manis and K. Bantz. Patton was dominant at the net and Seymour ran down balls hit to the baseline which helped them earn the victory.

Lanie Mansfield and Leah O’ Hern posted a win at No. 2 doubles. The duo defeated J. Karbala and A. Thiessen 6-1, 6-1. Their movement on the court and their communication helped them win more points.

The Wyland sisters, Sage and Shae, overwhelmed A. Worchester and P. Cooper 6-0, 6-2. Shae’s strong volleys at the net and Sage’s aggressive play and quickness around the court was key to their win.

Fenn said, “Their tennis knowledge of the game continues to improve, giving them more success in their games.”

Sisters bested the White Buffs on Thursday and pushed their league record to 4-1. The Lady Outlaws singles players dominated play and swept all four singles matches.

Kizziar (No. 1) pushed her winning streak to 12 in a row, blanking Amaya 6-0, 6-0. Kizziar’s power and consistency have been too much for league opponents to handle.

Brooke Harper (No. 2) returned to play after a minor injury and defeated Chauvant 6-3, 6-1. Harper was very consistent and hit deep balls to get the win. Fenn noted that Harper plays smart and makes very few mistakes.

Ryan (No. 3) was on top of her game with solid shots to the baseline, which moved Alonso all over the court. Ryan was also able to move to the net at times and hit some nice volleys in her 6-0, 6-0 victory over Alonso.

Bick (No. 4) notched her second varsity win with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Reyes. Fenn stated that Bick is gaining more confidence, as well as improving on her footwork and ball placement.

Fenn moved players around in doubles play to make the lineup stronger from top to bottom.

Patton teamed up with Mansfield (No. 1) for the first time this year and the duo lost in a very close match. They took the first set 7-4, and then fell 1-6 and lost 6-10 in the tiebreaker.

Fenn noted that Patton and Mansfield are very aggressive around the net, and as they learn to move better together, trust each other’s positions on the court, and don’t miss the easy put-aways, they will win many matches.

Presley Adelt and Sophie Rush (No. 2) also teamed up for the first time. The pair were down 1-4 in the first set and battled back for a 6-4 win, and went on to win the second set 6-1. The duo eliminated easy mistakes and hit more balls in the court than Park and Chicullar-Ham. Both Adelt and Rush are strong and athletic and move well around the court.

The Wyland sisters, Sage and Shae, moved up from No. 4 to No. 3 doubles due to their consistent and improved play, and easily defeated Burts and Pope 6-0, 6-3.

Fenn said, “Both girls win by keeping the ball deep in the back court and away from the net person. They also place the ball to the open court for winners.”

O’ Hern and Seymour paired up for the first time at No. 4 doubles. They posted a 6-4 win in the first set, but lost the second set in a 5-7 tiebreak, and the third set 10-point tiebreaker 7-10.

Fenn said, “Doubles is teamwork, and knowing where your partner is and what they can do to hit winning shots. Our two team losses were in tiebreakers, and this shows me that everyone is contributing and playing better as a team.”

Sisters was scheduled to play at home against The Dalles on Tuesday, May 2. They will play at home against Creswell on Friday.