Lady Knights Defeat Hazel Green
But Fall To Guntersville In Tennis

The Arab Lady Knights varsity and JV tennis team defeated a very competitive 6A Hazel Green team Saturday, 9-0.

Coach Alana Burks said, "We had some very close matches with many games going to deuce over and over. Our girls were forced to raise their level of play, and they were able to produce. I was very, very proud of the effort all the way down the ladder. Hazel Green had a number one singles player from the Netherlands that was one of the best players we have seen this year. Elseminke op de Hoek playing at their number one seed dropped their top players down a seed, and this made all of our girls see a more competitive player. You can only get better by playing good competition. That is what happened today. We got better as a team."

Individual results:
*2 out of 3 sets in top seeds
*10-game pro sets in lower seeds
*Score in ( ) indicates a tie-breaker for a set.
*In tennis, you must win by two.

Singles:
1. Abby Burks defeated Elseminke op de Hoek 6-3/6-4.
2. Ashley Vickers defeated Valery Pridgen 6-0/6-3
3. Carley Hallman defeated Jasmine Stosky 6-3/6-4
4. Caleigh Poole defeated Ansley Citrano 6-3/7-5
5. Lindsey Elrod defeated Kristen Giles 6-3/6-6 (7-3)
6. Emma Walker defeated Alana Chasteen 6-4/6-2
7. Mary Paige Hunt defeated Mallory Reynolds 10-3
8. Mary Ellen Hill defeated Morgan Riise 10-1
9. Carly Bedsole defeated Alyssa Gatlin 10-1
10. Emily Haga defeated Macy Laster 10-2
11. Alexis Daniels defeated Kelsey Eads 10-2
12. Brandi Daniels defeated Erin Mann 10-4

Doubles:
1. Burks/Poole defeated op de Hoek/Pridgen 7-5/6-4
2. Vickers/Elrod defeated Stocky/Citrano 6-2/6-2
3. Hunt/Hill defeated Giles/Chasteen 4-6/6-6 (7-5)/6-4
4. Hallman/Walker defeated Morgan/Ayssa 10-3
5. Bedsole/Vines defeated Reynolds/Eads 10-3
6. Narrell/Walters defeated Laster/Mann 10-6

Click for photos from the Lady Knights vs Hazel Green matches...

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The Arab Lady Knights lost to the Guntersville Wildcats 2-7

Individual Results:
Singles:
1. Abby Burks lost to Autrey Bradley 9-11
2. Ashley Vickers lost to Paige Hoggle 8-10
3. Carley Hallman lost to Lucy Bradley 1-10
4. Caleigh Poole defeated Becca Whitmore 10-6
5. Lindsey Elrod defeated Erin McAllister 11-9
6. Emma Walker lost to Sarah Mitchell 6-10
7. Mary Ellen Hill defeated Katie Beth Likos 8-0 (exhibition)
8. Emily Haga defeated Laura Coby 8-1 (exhibition)

Doubles:
1. Burks/Elrod lost to A Bradley/Hoggle 5-10
2. Vickers/Poole lost to L Bradley/Whitmore 1-10
3. Hill/Haga lost to McAllister/Mitchell 4-10
4. Hallman/Walker defeated Likos/Coby 8-6 (exhibition)

"Guntersville is loaded in the 1-3 seeds. Autrey Bradley is a senior two-time state champion, and Paige and Lucy are tournament-level players with big serves. They all put a lot of pace on the ball, but our girls matched them in most situations point for point. We just came up on the short end in too many matches. Abby and Ashley both played close, hard fought matches at one and two.

Abby came back from being down 2-5 to actually go ahead in the match. It was tough to watch those two come up short. Caleigh Poole played one of the best matches she has played all year, and Lindsey Elrod won in a tremendous come-from-behind effort. Guntersville-Arab is always a great match and both programs produce the top players in the county year to year."

Arab and Guntersville will meet again in the county tournament on April 9.

*Top seeds played 10-game pro sets...exhibition 8-game pro sets.
*You have to win by two in tennis.