Girls' Tennis Team Beats Valley
14 May 2009

The MHS girls’ tennis team got their second win of the season, topping Tippecanoe Valley 4-1.
Manchester got straight set wins at both doubles spots, and from Tara Gnagy and Jessica Bedke.
Shelby Rager and Jenna Alexander won 6-4, 6-1 at one doubles, and Skye Haywood and Rebecca Ruppert won 6-3, 6-4 at two doubles.
Gnagy had no trouble at one singles, winning 6-1, 6-1, and Bedke won 6-3, 6-1 at three singles. Sadie Preston lost a close first set 6-4 before falling 6-1 in the second.
“It was great to see both doubles teams win,” coach Tim McLaughlin said. “Skye and Rebecca got their first win of the year. It was a nice team effort.”
The JV lost 5-3 with wins coming from Lauren Wagoner (8-4), Megan Metzger (8-4)and the team of Jentri Cripe/Sheridan Wilcox (8-3).
Loss To Huntington North
The girls’ tennis team was shorthanded against a strong Huntington North team, losing a 4-1 decision to the Lady Vikings.
Manchester was missing nine girls against Huntington North, but still managed to pull out one win at three singles.
Jessica Bedke won a 3-set battle 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 for the Lady Squires’ only win.
“Jessica got a great win for us at three singles,” coach Tim McLaughlin said. “Skye Haywood played very well at two singles.”
Haywood lost a 6-3, 6-3, decision, while Sadie Preston lost at one singles 6-0, 6-0.
The doubles team of Shelby Rager and Kaitlyn French lost 6-1, 6-2, while the team of Lauren Wagoner and Amy Collett lost 6-1, 6-1.
Malyssa Bedke got Manchester’s only JV win, 8-2 in a singles match.
Loss To Whitko
The Lady Squires were edged by TRC rival Whitko 3-2 last week.
Tara Gnagy won at one singles 6-3, 7-6 (4), while Shelby Rager and Jenna Alexander won 6-3, 6-3 at one doubles.
Preston lost 6-1, 6-0, and Bedke lost 6-1, 6-2 in singles action.
Haywood and Rebecca Ruppert lost at two doubles 6-4, 6-3.
“Tara and the one doubles team played well,” McLaughlin said. “I was especially happy to see Jenna and Shelby get off to a quick start and play so well.
“The girls’ are trying hard, but it’s a little frustrating to come so close and not win some winnable matches,” he added.
The JV team beat Whitko 4-1.
Marina Meinert won 8-5, while Megan Metzger won 8-4 in singles action.
In doubles play, Amy Collett/Malyssa Bedke won 8-2, and Chandra Butler/Chelsea Butler won 8-1.
Loss To Peru
The third and winning point continued to elude the girls’ tennis team in a 3-2 loss to Peru.
Gnagy had no trouble at one singles, winning 6-1, 6-0, while Bedke cruised at three singles 6-1, 6-1.
Rager and Alexander lost 6-2, 6-0 at one doubles, and Haywood and Ruppert lost 6-2, 6-3 at two doubles, leaving it up to the two singles match and Sadie Preston.
Preston won the first set of her match with Emily West 6-2, but dropped the second 6-2.
West pulled out the third set 6-4 to get the win for the Lady Tigers.
“This was a tough loss,” McLaughlin said. “Despite not winning the match, Sadie played great tonight.”
The JV got wins from Wagoner (8-2 and 8-2), the team of Sheridan Wilcox and Ashley Pratt.
The tennis team will host Southwood on Monday and will be at Mississinewa on Tuesday to close out the regular season.