She certainly has had her share this season for the Minford girls tennis team. After a four-hour thriller against Unioto on Thursday, Fyffe was once again locked in a long match Tuesday night against Wheelersburg's Courtnie Haller.
The Lady Falcons should hope that Fyffe has these type s of matches all season. Both sets going to tiebreakers, Fyffe was able to win 7-6 in each set, giving Minford it first win of the night. The Falcons would then take the two doubles matches in straight sets to down the Lady Pirates 3-2.
“This was a good, short one for me,” said Fyffe. “The only thing that bothered me was the pressure, because I knew that our doubles teams were strong, and I felt like we would win their matches. I have played against Courtnie before in doubles, so I knew how she played, and it was an even match.”
Fyffe staved off five set points in the second set to take the match. With the No. 3 singles match taken care of, Minford's double teams went to work. Losing just three games between the two matches, the duos of Kristi Harris and Hillary Shonkwiler and Kyla Gampp and Tasha Donahoe gave Minford the victory.
The duos were shaken up a little bit before the match, as Lady Falcons coach R.D. Baker moved Tasha Donahoe to the No. 2 doubles match, and Gampp's regular partner Taylor Baker to No. 2 singles.
“Wheelersburg is always competitive, and they know what they are doing,” said coach Baker. “Our girls played hard, and they played well. We actually switched the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams tonight, because Kristi and Hillary are solid, and I had a lot of confidence in moving them up to the No. 1 match.”
At the start of the match, it appeared that Wheelersburg would gain the early advantage in a possible SOC championship preview. Using strong singles play, the Lady Pirates took the Nos. 1 and 2 singles matches in straight sets.
Wheelersburg's Lauren Dever and Minford's Jordyn Thiel, two of the SOC's top players, battled in the No. 1 match, with Dever winning 7-5, 6-3. In the No. 2 match, the Lady Pirates' Brittany Warner, playing in her first year of tennis, played a finesse game to down Taylor Baker 6-2, 6-3.
“I was prepared to play Fyffe, because we thought that Baker would be playing doubles,” said Warner. “It was a good match. We always laugh and say that I am not a tennis player yet, but I am an athlete because I play three different sports. I have more of a run and gun game, and I try to make people run, which I think is to my advantage.”
The win improves Minford's record to 2-1, 1-0 in the SOC. Wheelersburg's record stands at 3-2, 1-1 in the SOC. The Lady Pirates will get another chance at their rivals later in the season, this time at Wheelersburg.
“It could swing either way next time,” said coach Tom Carter. “We don't prepare any different. Our kids are ready in each match, and we are going to have them ready for the next matchup.”
JOSH HICKLE can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 241.
No. 1 singles - Lauren Dever (WB) def. Jordyn Thiel 7-5, 6-3.
No. 2 singles - Brittany Warner (WB) def. Taylor Baker 6-2, 6-3.
No. 3 singles - Megan Fyffe (M) def. Courtnie Haller 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3).
No. 1 doubles - Kristi Harris/Hillary Shonkwiler (M) def. Gracie Duckworth and Brie Perkins 6-1, 6-0.
No. 2 doubles - Kyla Gampp/Tasha Donahoe (M) def. Megan Cyrus/Brittany Campbell 6-0, 6-2.
Records - Minford 2-1 (1-0), Wheelersburg 3-2 (1-1).
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