Entering its recent slate of matches, the Elizabethtown Area High School girls tennis team was in dire straits with a record of 1-8. However, a couple of victories have boosted the Lady Bears’ confidence as the end of the regular season draws near.
The team went on the road to face Donegal on Wednesday, Sept. 19, in what turned out to be a thrilling contest. The Indians seemed to have the advantage after the doubles portion. Emily Ashley and Lyla Naqvi narrowly defeated Elizabethtown junior Lauren Masser and senior Tori Pollock 9-7, while Hailey Fry and Ellen Zern topped junior Araya Fahnestock and sophomore Mia Giordano 8-2. The Lady Bears did pick up a win after senior Emily Louie and junior Katy Hackenberg closely beat Mary Murphy and Emma Shelly 8-6.
Donegal got another win when Ashley swept Masser 6-0, 6-0. That’s when Elizabethtown made its move. Pollock easily beat Murphy 6-2, 6-2 to narrow thegap to 3-2. Louie lost her first set to Naqvi7-5 and was down 5-2 in
the second. She proceeded to reel off five straight game victories to take the set 7-5, then won the tiebreaker 10-7. Fahnestock similarly was down after falling 6-1 to Shelly in the first set but won the second 6-3 and the tiebreaker 10-8 for her first varsity singles and a 4-3 victory for Elizabethtown.
The Lady Bears returned home on Thursday, Sept. 20, to host Lebanon, easily walking away with a 7-0 win. In doubles, Masser and Pollock topped Jenna Aviles and Everia Gonzalez 8-2, while Louie and Hackenberg beat Ashley Garcia and Alaina Colmenares 8-4. Fahnestock and Giordano also won over Jonessa Gonzalez and Leilanie Torres 8-3.
Masser got her first singles win of the year over Aviles 6-2, 6-0. Louie and Hackenberg beat Everia and Jonessa Gonzalez 6-2, 6-4 and 6-0, 6-1, respectively. Finally, Pollock got another 6-2, 6-2 victory over Garcia.
Elizabethtown fell back to Earth somewhat on Monday, Sept. 24, in an away matchagainst Manheim Central, losing 6-1. The only win came from Pollock in a 6-1, 6-4 singles victory over Grace Roberts. Elsewhere, Masser and Fahnestock both lost 6-2, 6-0 to Hannah Kowalski and Janae Bright, respectively. Louie fell 6-0, 6-1 to Eliana Shenk. In doubles, Kowalski and Shenk topped Masser and Pollock 8-2. Louie and Hackenberg lost to Roberts and Bright 8-1, as did Fahnestock and Giordano to Olivia Good and Julia Myers.
Elizabethtown’s scheduled match against Solanco on Tuesday, Sept. 25, was postponed to Thursday, Sept. 27, due to inclement weather. The Lady Bears are set to have an away match at Warwick on Wednesday, Sept. 26., and will also take part in the year-ending Lancaster-Lebanon League Flight Tournaments, which are set to begin on Thursday, Oct. 4.
