NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC senior Hannah Houghton returns a serve in her #1 singles victory over Grundy Center's Ashlynn Draper.

The STC girls tennis team opened up their season on Tuesday, April 8, when they hosted the Grundy Center Spartans at the South Tama High School Tennis Complex. After nearly three hours of play, the Spartans notched a 5-4 win.

The two teams split their singles matches by winning three apiece. In #1 singles play, STC senior Hannah Houghton recorded an 8-4 win over Ashlynn Draper. The Trojans kept the winning going in #2 singles play when senior Brooklyn Hitchcock defeated Kamren Thomas-Henley by a score of 8-5. The Trojan’s final win came when senior Kylie Husak was victorious over Kaydence Kuiper, 8-4, at #4 singles.

Grundy Center’s Nalani Eckhardt defeated STC senior Nevaeh Mathes at #3 singles, 8-5, to get the Spartans on the board. Madison Mayo defeated Trojan sophomore Grace Gomez, 8-1, at #5 singles. The Spartans concluded their singles wins at #6 singles, when Makenna Steinmeyer took the win over STC senior Cailey Brown by an 8-0 score.

South Tama took the lead after the first seven matches when the duo of Houghton and Hitchcock raced to an 8-1 victory at #1 doubles over Grundy Center’s Thomas-Henley and Kuiper. But the Spartans evened things when Mayo and Riley Whitehill recorded an 8-0 victory over Gomez and freshman Ava Boldt at #3 doubles. In the deciding match, the Spartans secured the meet victory when Eckhardt and Steinmeyer defeated STC’s Mathes and Husak, 8-4 in #2 doubles.

With the loss, the Trojans began the season with a record of 0-1. The victory helped Grundy Center even their record at 1-1 on the year.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – Senior Brooklyn Hitchcock hits a shot in her #2 singles victory over Grundy Center's Kamren Thomas-Henley.

Up next for the Trojans is a home match against Union on Monday, April 21. On the following night, Tuesday, April 22, the Trojans will host Marion. Both matches will take place at the South Tama High School Tennis Complex.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC senior Kylie Husak places a shot in her #4 singles victory over Grundy Center's Kaydence Kuiper.