Hillsboro High School girls’ tennis placed seventh out of nine teams at the Central Kansas League meet Saturday.
Coach Bob Woelk shook up the lineup by playing two first-time pairings in doubles and a freshman in No. 1 singles.
“We made some sacrifices to set ourselves up better for regionals, which we consider much more important,” Woelk said. “We don’t like finishing so far down in the league tournament, but I think we will benefit in regional seedings from not adding losses to our records.”
Singles
Allison Gray played No. 1 singles for the first time. She lost to Madison Bayer of Kingman, 9-7, Brittanie Eskut of Lyons, 9-0, and Victoria Smalling of Nickerson, 9-2.
“She played hard all day, but being a freshman in No. 1 singles was a tough spot,” Woelk said.
Bailey Kaufman played No. 2 singles for Hillsboro. She finished seventh with a win over Haylee Nachtigal of Haven, 9-0, after losing to Jade Hoover of Pratt, 6-0 and 6-1, and Makenzie Nisley of Nickerson, 9-2.
Doubles
Allison Weber and Erin Winter were paired for the first time in No. 1 doubles. They won their opening match against Kaci Wilson and Sarah Wheeler of Sterling, 2-6 and 6-1 with a 10-3 super-tiebreaker, then lost to No. 1 seed Rachel Shogren and Ashley Weaver of Hesston, 6-1 and 6-2, and Emma Anderson and Hannah Morrical of Smoky Valley, 6-3, 3-6, and 6-4, to take fourth out of nine teams.
Peyton Loewen and Claire Heyen teamed for No. 2 doubles for the first time. They lost to Elizabethe Wilder and Caitlin King of Hesston, 6-0 and 6-0, and Kayla Reid and Jadyn Snyder of Lyons, 9-8 in a 7-2 tiebreaker. They defeated Annika Miller and Ally Gunn of Haven, 9-2, to place seventh.