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Experience Leads Wheeling Park Girls Tennis

Photo by Cody Tomer Wheeling Park’s Abby Jones returns a hit during Monday’s match against Linsly.

WHEELING — The recent success of the Wheeling Park girls tennis program could build a strong campaign for 2017 and it has already started to take shape.

The Patriots have a trio of returning state qualifiers on the squad in sophomore Abby Jones, junior Ritika Reddy and senior Julianna Pond and they led Park to a 6-1 victory over visiting Linsly on Monday.

In the singles competition, Jones delivered an 8-2 victory over Linsly’s Lydia Andlinger to lead Park to its third straight win to begin the year, while the doubles team of Reddy and Pond scored an 8-4 win over Lakin Snider and Zivya Sutton.

“I am very proud of our team,” Park coach Stephanie Sada said. “They did a really good job and this was a good test of where we are right now.”

The experience from last year’s state competition has already proven to benefit the Patriots early on in the young season and should only continue to help them grow as the year progresses.

“The experience from last year’s entire season has helped them,” Sada said. “They worked really well together and I think we are moving in the right direction.

“Reddy and Pond are getting more practice together and the three of our state returners have been very positive for us.”

Jones showed resiliency early in her singles match, as she fell behind 1-0 to Andlinger but she recovered by taking the next four sets and did not look back.

“I felt good about my performance,” Jones said. “I thought I played very consistent (Monday).

“I worked a lot in the offseason because I saw how much competition there was down at the state tournament and that motivated me to work at it more.”

Jones and her doubles partner, Matilda Weeks kicked off the day with a solid 8-3 victory over Andlinger and Caitlin Mead, while Park’s Abigail Mulhern and Emily Tork shutout Emma Augustine and Noora Pitkanen by an 8-0 count in doubles play.

“I knew Park was going to be strong,” Linsly coach Dave Riethmiller said. “They are probably the second best team we are going to play after Morgantown.

“This was our first match of the year and half of our preseason was cut down with spring break so some of our doubles teams haven’t really practiced together yet but we will have better days ahead and we are looking forward to it.”

The most intriguing matchup of the afternoon slated Weeks against Mead and they did not disappoint. The contest was the very last to wrap up and it took a tie-breaker to decide the match.

In the end, it was Mead earning Linsly’s only victory of the day as she defeated Weeks 7-4 in the tie-breaker to complete a 9-8 decision.

“It was great to see her pull that out,” Riethmiller said. “We practice tie-breaks all the time so she was comfortable out there. I tell them all the time, that is why we practice, so we don’t have to think so much.”

Unlike Wheeling Park, Linsly lacks experience but the Cadets make up for it with heart and determination.

“We have no seniors,” Riethmiller said. “We are a young team that was hit hard by graduation last year but we will continue to build as the year goes along.”

In singles action, Reddy topped Snider by a 5-2 mark and Pond preserved an 8-1 win over Augustine.

“We are hoping to build off last year,” Sada said. “We are also hoping to have more players qualify for state this year and make it a little farther in the tournament once we get there.”

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