EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers tennis team faced Grandview Tuesday afternoon with the boys winning 4-1.
“It’s hard to complain when you have a 4-1 victory over a good school like Grandview,” said the Tigers’ boys Coach Greg Becker.
Ephrata was able to win the first singles and all three of the doubles with the third doubles match being a win by forfeit.
“Me and my partner were aggressive at the net and it paid off,” said Charles Flynn who played doubles with Jacob Wolther. “We kind of knew what we were getting into and our main goal was to just get our serves in and be aggressive at net.”
The boys team won two consecutive matches before facing Grandview, so they had confidence going in, Becker said. He added that the important thing that the team had to keep in mind was to not get overconfident in their abilities.
“If you get into that mind space where you think you can’t lose, you’re going to put up a lot of losses before you can get out of it,” said Becker. “The trick for us was to not overlook anyone, to play each match as it comes, to respect our opponents and just play the best error free tennis we can play.”
Tigers girls were able to keep it close but ended up falling to Grandview 2-3. Despite the loss, girls coach Emily Allsopp said the team is still showing great improvement.
“Overall as a team we took the loss 2-3, but I’m still incredibly proud of all my girls and how they played today,” said Allsopp.
Ephrata’s two wins of the day came from the first doubles match with Erika Morford and Chloe Ho 6-2, 6-1 and third doubles with Makenna Wennerberg Lutz and Emma Padilla 6-3, 6-1.
One of the biggest lessons the girls team will take from the game is that tennis is a very mental game, said Allsopp.
“As soon as you get frustrated the opponent can see that and they’re going to play off of it,” said Allsopp.
Both Becker and Allsopp are in their first year of coaching Varsity tennis at Ephrata. Becker had coached JV previously, and Allsopp played four years of tennis for the Tigers.
“I really enjoy getting to know all the girls and just trying to teach them about the sport that’s very near and dear to me,” said Allsopp. “I just hope that I’m allowing my girls to have that same experience.”
The boys team will be working on their serves and making sure they get a greater percentage of first serves in, Becker said.
“I think that gives you a real advantage both mentally and physically,” he said. “When you’re getting them in you feel like you’re on top of your game.”
Another aspect in need of practice is the ability to diagnose the game as they play and figuring out how to correct things on the fly, he said.
The girls will continue to work on form and fundamentals and mental discipline during games as they prepare for their upcoming matches, said Allsopp.
“I’m proud of my girls and how I see them improving every single day,” she said.
Ephrata Boys
Josh Mullings
Christian Downs
Charles Flynn
Jacob Wolther
Mitch Morford
Jett Julian
Zander Leasher
Corbin Reeve
Ephrata Girls
Ali Helaas
Jillian Linehan
Erika Morford
Chloe Ho
Kara Davis
Jessica Mathis
Makenna Wennerberg Lutz
Emma Padilla
Charles Flynn and doubles partner Jacob Wolther won their match 6-0, 6-1
Ephrata girls were able to keep it close with their doubles wins, including Ericka Morford and Chloe Ho, who won 6-2, 6-1.
Josh Mullings had success in his singles match against Grandview’s Joseph Alaniz winning 6-0, 6-1.