Tennis players seek rhythm as May approaches

With snow flying well into the spring, tennis players found the going a bit rough early on this season.

Libby’s No. 1 singles player, Jackie Mee, said she is only now beginning to find her game with May right around the corner.

“The first few matches were pretty shaky,” Mee said after playing a Sandpoint boy in an exhibition match on Friday. “I feel like my strokes are becoming more consistent.”

Mee attracts a lot of attention on the tennis court with her all-around good play, including an exceptional serve. She first took to the tennis court as a youngster when her mother played friends and through the help of the late Herb Neils.

Mee cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory on Friday in Libby’s duel against Sandpoint. She played the exhibition match when Troy didn’t have a No. 1 singles entrant.

When asked to describe her strengths on the court, Mee said she has been a strong server and has the ability to put away the short balls.

“You have to be consistent and it also helps to be lucky,” Mee said.

Meanwhile, the Troy doubles team of Shado Garrett and Jesse Day continues to perform well. Against the Loggers, Garrett and Day posted an 8-4 win.

Now seniors, the pair is playing together for the third year.

“It’s something we just came into and the coach thought it would be a good idea to play together,” Garrett said.

Garrett and Day compliment one another very well on the court. Garrett has a wicked backhand while Day displays a sweet stroke on the forehand.

“If we spot a weaker player, we try to focus on him,” Day said about their strategy. “You try to take advantage of a weaker player.”

Garrett has actually played with a Day all four years of high school. When he was a freshman, Garrett played with Joe Day.

What’s an important aspect to doubles tennis?

“Mainly trust, being able to rely on each other. He keeps up his part and I keep up my part,” Garrett said.

In girls team results, Libby posted a 4-3 victory over its Idaho counterpart. Audra Poppen posted an easy 6-1, 6-0 victory and Chelsea Oedewaldt persevered for a 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 win. The Loggers’ Nichole Newman and Anna Valentine won in doubles.

Against Troy, the Loggers won four out of five matches. Poppen and Lindsey Kehn were singles winners and the duos of Newman and Valentine along with Tawnya Granger and Kyla O’Brien won doubles matches. Troy’s Liz Smith and Ande Hawkins won at No. 1 doubles.

For the boys, the Loggers beat Troy by a 5-2 count. Alex Cislo, Hunter Sheffield, Cree Maloney and Levi Edwards-Myslicki swept the singles matches. Jesse Ramos and Micah Germany teamed up for a doubles victory for the Loggers.

Troy’s winners were both in doubles with Garrett and Day as well as Rob Higgins and Kody Hoffman.

Sandpoint blanked the Loggers by an 8-0 count.

Friday at Libby

BOYS

Libby 5, Troy 2

Singles

No. 1 – Cislo, L, def. Higgins, 8-3.

No. 2 – Sheffield, L, def. Rebo, 8-0.

No. 3 – Cree Maloney, L, def. Garcia, 8-3.

No. 4 – Edwards-Myslicki, L, def. Hickman, 8-6.

Doubles

No. 1 – Garrett/Day, T, def. Broden/Cyrus Maloney, 8-4.

No. 2 – Higgins/Hoffman, T, def. Ercanbrack/Schikora, 8-5.

No. 3 – Ramos/Germany, L, def. Winslow/Cratty, 8-6.

Sandpoint 8, Libby 0

Singles

No. 1 – Nostdahl, S, def. Cislo, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.

No. 2 – Kirby, S, def. Sheffield, 6-3, 7-5.

No. 3 – Hardy, S, def. Cree Maloney, 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3.

No. 4 – Bussard, S, def. Edwards-Myslicki, 6-4, 6-0.

Doubles

No. 1 – Hardy/Gavin, S, def. Broden/Cyrus Maloney, 6-1, 6-1.

No. 2 – Kemp/Novak, S, def. Ercanbrack/Schikora, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2.

No. 3 – Berg/Thorell, S, def. Ramos/Germany, 6-1, 7-5.

GIRLS

Libby 4, Troy 1

Singles

No. 1 – No match

No. 2 – Poppen, L, def. Hand, 8-2.

No. 3 – Kehn, L, def. Pepiot, 8-5.

No. 4 – No match.

Doubles

No. 1 – Newman/Valentine, L, def. Duzan/Lyons, 8-2.

No. 2 – Smith/Hawkins, T, def. Shaw/Buti, 8-6.

No. 3 – Granger/O’Brien, L, def. Helmrick/Hight, 8-0.

Libby 4, Sandpoint 3

Singles

No. 1 – Mee, L, def. Helander, 6-2, 6-0.

No. 2 – Poppen, L, def. Clawson, 6-1, 6-0.

No. 3 – Williams, S, def. Kehn, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

No. 4 – Oedewaldt, L, def. Chak, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.

Doubles

No. 1 – Newman/Valentine, L, def. Carter/Imeson, 6-1, 6-3.

No. 2 – Meulenberg/Cobb, S, def. Shaw/Buti, 6-1, 6-2.

No. 3 – Claffey/Smith, S, def. Granger/O’Brien, 6-4, 6-3.