Lady Indians gain home match win against Miami Trace

The Hillsboro Lady Indians took advantage of their doubles play and their play at third singles to gain enough wins to defend their home court against the visiting Miami Trace Lady Panthers, Tuesday at Hillsboro High School.

By winning the South Central Ohio League match, the Lady Indians move to 2-2 in league play and 6-2 overall.

"We were fortunate to take this 3-2," HHS head coach LaRue Turner said. "We had some great matches. We are looking forward to playing them again because they are good competition.

"All league wins are good. So far we are doing fairly well, but we have a lot left on the schedule."

Hillsboro saw senior Emily Shanahan gain a victory in third singles, while the first doubles team of seniors Samantha Fender and Madison Hopkins won their match. Putting the Lady Indians in front for good was the second doubles effort and win by juniors Erin Clark and Peyton Kidder.

"Emily is coming on strong," Turner said. "She's had some setbacks, but she's playing well."

In the third singles event, Shanahan swept Maddi Wallace of Miami Trace in straight sets at 6-1, 6-0 to earn the first HHS victory of the match.

That was followed with the host Lady Indians being victorious in the first doubles match where Madison Hopkins and Samantha Fender also swept their match vs. Whitney Cockerill and Cassie Van Dyke by scores of 6-2, 6-4 for the win.

"Doubles play was excellent. They are beginning to play together," Turner said. "First doubles is very experienced. If they can continue to talk to one another and communicate on the court and play like they did (Tuesday), they will be fine."

The second doubles team of Kidder and Clark also won in two sets over Miami Trace's Maddie Porter and Macy Detty at 6-3, 6-0.

"Second doubles, this is their first year of playing varsity together, but they are starting to put things together," Turner said. "I'm looking forward to more good things from them the rest of the season."

Hillsboro's two losses came in strongly played matches where senior Vanessa McGinnis fell by scores of 3-6, 3-6 to Miami Trace's Bethany Reiterman in first singles.

In second singles, which was the most competitive match of the night, Hillsboro senior Kaitlin Whiting lost by scores of 2-6, 6-2 and 5-7 against the Lady Panthers' Haylee Higgins.

"The second singles match was so evenly matched that it could have gone either way," Turner said. "Both players played a nice game."

Next for the Lady Indians is an SCOL match at Chillicothe against the Lady Cavaliers.