Greensburg Daily News

Gary Dudgeon

Greensburg’s girls tennis team returns seven players from last year’s sectional runner-up team. Only Taylor Hunter at No. 2 singles and Sara Stier, who teamed with Becky Kinker at No. 1 doubles, graduated from last year’s squad.

Although nothing has been cast in stone yet, the top five players have already been determined. Sara Welage is currently slated to repeat at No. 1 singles, but is being hard pressed by her younger sister, Laura. The two have not yet played a challenge match where the winner claims the spot.

Laura Welage barely survived a match with Becky Kinker in a match that went to a 9-7 tiebreaker.

Kinker elected to play singles this year rather than team with a new doubles partner opening the way for Tasha Heaton and Lisa Moore to take the No. 1 doubles spot.

That leaves No. 2 doubles as the only openly competed spot for this year’s varsity squad with five or six players competing for the two spots including senior Kyra Domingo.

As far as inter-scholastic competition is concerned, the Pirates may have additional teams to contend with this year.

“The teams around here have worked to improve their programs,” said coach Gary Bailey. “Competition should be better.”

Still Greensburg’s principle competition will still come from the same sources as the Pirates have faced on the past - Batesville and Franklin County in the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference (EIAC) and Jennings County in the sectional.

Last year Batesville, Franklin County and the Pirates all ended the inter-conference play with 4-1 records. When the EIAC meet was competed last year at Greensburg, the Pirates and Bulldogs each claimed two wins.

Area tennis aficionados can expect much the same results this year with the first meet, a triangular meet with East Central and Batesville going a long way towards defining how competitive the local netters will be.