Wolverines salvage late point, but fall to Bearcats in WHC girls tennis clash
As darkness settled on Polk County’s tennis courts Thursday, a small ray of light still flickered for the Wolverines.
Hendersonville had already wrapped up what proved to be a 6-3 victory, but the Wolverines’ No. 1 doubles team of Hannah Jenne and Tana Harris ended the day on a good note, winning a tierbreaker to take a 9-8 win over Hendersonville’s No. 1 duo of Annabelle Webb and Ellie Jull.
The win proved important for reasons beyond the score, said Polk County head coach Richard Davis. Jenne and Harris had raced to leads of 4-1 and 7-4 in the match, only to see Webb and Jull rally to even the score at 8-8.
With a large crowd watching and daylight slipping away, Jenne and Harris scored the first five points of the tiebreaker and closed it out at 7-3, not only giving the Wolverines another team point, but also offering instruction in the importance of handling adversity.
“They’ll learn from this,” Davis said.
It was an afternoon of learning for Polk County’s young squad, which starts no seniors. Perennially the team to beat in the Western Highlands Conference, Hendersonville showed why it sits in first place again this year, winning four of the day’s six singles matches, then picking up a win at No. 2 doubles to clinch the match.
The Bearcats also claimed No. 3 doubles before Jenne and Harris salvaged a ray of hope for Polk at day’s end.
“They’re where we want to be,” Davis said of Hendersonville. “You see why they’re the top team in the conference.”
Jenne earned a 10-3 win at No. 1 singles and freshman Ava Marino claimed a 10-4 win at No. 6 singles for Polk, which dropped to 10-3 overall and 2-2 in WHC play. Hendersonville sits at 4-0 in league play.
The Wolverines host T.C. Roberson on Monday.
Singles
1. Hannah Jenne (PC) d. Annabelle Webb 10-3; 2. Hamrick Perry (H) d. Tana Harris 10-2; 3. Ellie Jull (H) d. Haven Dufford 10-1; 4. Celia Donaldson (H) d. Bella Marino 10-3; 5. Georgia Long (H) d. Trinity Branham 10-2; 6. Ava Marino (PC) d. Madison Ogden 10-4
Doubles
1. Jenne-Harris (P) d. Webb-Jull 9-8 (7-2); 2. Perry-Donaldson (H) d. A. Marino-Dufford 8-1; 3. Long-Suzanne Thompson (H) d. B. Marino-Branham 8-6
