TROY – Jersey’s tennis team accomplished a huge historical feat this past weekend, capturing the first-ever girls MVC championship.
Coach Stote Reeder couldn’t have been more excited than he was for their girls and their play.
“It was quite an upset,” Reeder said. “We played Triad in the regular season and lost 6-3, but we lost three close three-set matches. We knew we had a chance and we knew how hard it would be. It was a fun day. I am proud of the girls.”
Jersey captured the MVC title with 41 points to narrowly top Triad with 40 points. Triad had been the winner of the MVC girls’ championship eight consecutive times before this year. Highland was next with 32 points, Mascoutah 24 points, CM posted eight points and Waterloo five points.
Reeder said he has witnessed an upswing of Jersey girls’ tennis in reason years, especially with some who are still with the team.
“I give them all the credit,” he said. “They worked really hard in the off season. They aren’t just one-sport athletes.”
Reeder said it is not easy playing multiple sports, but the girls have excelled in everything they have done.
“It is not just an in-season commitment to play at this level,” he said. “The girls have taken a lot of pride in what they have done and want to get better. It makes a job as a coach pretty easy.”
The Jersey title came with a complete team effort with girls playing well from top to bottom in the lineup, Reeder said.
These were the Jersey results in the tourney:
No. 1 doubles – Ashton Tewell and Anne Snyders, 2nd place
No. 2 doubles – Hailea Tepen and Maddie Bugger, 2nd place
No. 3 doubles – Hannah Hudson and Chelsea Maag, 1st place
No. 1 singles – Ashton Tewell, 3rd place
No. 2 singles – Anne Snyders, 2nd place
No. 3 singles – Hailea Tepen, 1st place
No. 4 singles – Maddie Bugger, 1st place
No. 5 singles – Hannah Hudson, 1st place
No. 6 singles – Chelsea Maag, 2nd place.
