Ladycats tennis, sportsmanship win in the end

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BLANCHESTER — Rallying from a 2-1 deficit, the Blanchester girls tennis team defeated Felicity-Franklin 3-2 Wednesday night in a National Division match in the Southern Buckeye Athletic & Academic Conference.

The Ladycats are now 4-2 overall and still unbeaten at 3-0 in the division. Felicity is 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the league.

“I’m not sure if I’m a tennis coach or a magic coach because we absolutely pulled two rabbits out of the hat,” BHS coach Matt Sexton said. “We could have easily lost either first doubles or second singles. I’m so proud of my girls for finding a way to pull those matches out. That’s why you want seniors in those situations. You hope when their back is against the wall, all the work over the summer and over the last couple season will pay off. Somehow, they pulled it off.”

Lilly Tedrick at second singles and the first doubles team of Alexis Vestal and Korie White won three-set matches. Vestal and White trailed 2-4 in the third set but came back to win the tiebreaker and even the match at 2-2.

Tedrick trailed 4-5 to Raelynn Morales, who was serving for the match. Tedrick won but not with drama and credit to a high character player for Felicity.

“I want to give full credit to Morales,” Sexton said. “Up 5-4 but down 30-40, she called a ball out, then overruled herself and gave the game to Lilly. While sportsmanship is everything in tennis, that’s very impressive for a kid with everyone watching and rooting, to change her call on game point. I told her after the match how impressed I was with her.”

SUMMARY

Aug. 30, 2017

@Blanchester HS

Blanchester 3, Felicity 2

Singles

• Madison Baird (F) d. Erin Wilson 6-1, 6-2

• Lilly Tedrick (B) d. Raelynn Morales 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

• Jalyn Clark (F) d. Lydia Falgner 6-1, 6-3

Doubles

• Alexis Vestal, Korie White (B) d. Jenna Brown, Lea Clark 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3)

• Grace King, Kayla Allen (B) d. Guatelupe Rodriguez, Nina Cadigen 6-0, 6-0

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