Troy tennis hosts packed invite, honors seniors with strong showing
The Troy Lady Trojans hosted an action-packed two-day tennis invitational on May 2–3, welcoming teams from Superior, Mission, and Chester-Joplin-Inverness (CJI) for a weekend of spirited competition and community camaraderie.
The invitational, held on Troy’s uniquely lit courts — the only known lighted tennis facility in western Montana — featured more than 60 matches across singles and doubles play. Friday’s action stretched into the night as Mission and CJI athletes battled under the lights, while Saturday saw continued competitive matchups and heartfelt recognition of Troy’s senior athletes.
After a tough 2-4 start against Superior, the Lady Trojans bounced back to go 10-7 over the next two rounds, finishing the home invite with a 12-11 overall record. The event highlighted Troy’s continued development, with varsity players gaining consistency and the junior varsity showing promising depth.
In singles play, Jolene Foutch emerged as a steady contributor, picking up decisive wins over CJI’s Mercedes Riggin (6-1, 6-0) and Mission’s Misty Galerneau (6-0, 6-1). Miley Babcock delivered a standout performance against CJI’s Izzy Theilman (6-3, 6-4), and Bella O'Day defeated Mission’s Kitra Thomas 6-2, 6-2 in a solid showing. Salix Harris split two matches with CJI’s Anna Swank, falling in their first encounter but edging out a thrilling 6-1, 7-6 (10-7) win in their second.
Doubles play added critical points for Troy. The No. 1 team of Sophia Simanovicki and Abby Kreutzer edged Superior’s top pair in a nail-biter, winning 6-2, 2-6, 10-8. Christina Hammer and Brooke Place also notched a comeback win over Superior (4-6, 6-0, 10-5), and later took down CJI’s Batchteler and Habets in straight sets.
Saturday also served as a moment of reflection and celebration as seniors Bella O’Day, Sophia Simanovicki, Christina Hammer, and Miley Babcock were honored during their final home competition.
Coach Ed Sedler praised the group for their character, positivity, and contributions to the team culture, calling them “the funnest and most unique bunch of individuals a team could ask for.”
Troy hosted Clark Fork Tuesday and is scheduled to play at the Best of the West this weekend in Missoula. The Lady Trojans will compete in the divisional tournament in Bigfork May 14-16.