GHS tennis back in win column after defeating Bridgeport

GHS tennis back in win column after defeating Bridgeport TC Gordon Tue, 08/20/2024 - 9:43 am

• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) One of Graham’s top girls, Stacey Gonzalez, returns a difficult hit during a doubles match from earlier this season.
• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Reanna Brock powers a shot during one of the team’s matches from earlier this season. The Lady Blues and Steers defeated Bridgeport 19-0 at home last Thursday, Aug. 15.
• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham tennis head coach Matt Birdwell (middle) provides instruction and advice to Chris Reyes (left) and Brodey Mills (right) during one of the team’s matches earlier this season. The Steers and Lady Blues recently defeated Bridgeport 19-0 last Thursday, Aug. 15.
• (TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Hope Jones, of the Lady Blues tennis team works on her technique during warm-ups of a match from earlier this season.

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TC Gordon sports@grahamleader.com

After a long week of road competitions against tough opponents, the Steers and Lady Blues tennis team returned home and earned a crushing win over Bridgeport.

Graham’s tennis team played five road matches in the span of a little over a week and, unfortunately, took losses in all five contests. But the team played its first home match since the beginning of the season and the players got back on the right track with a huge win.

The Bridgeport Bulls and Sissies came to Graham for a match Thursday, Aug. 15, and they went home with a 19-0 loss as the Steers and Lady Blues took care of business in all facets of the team sport.

Throughout all 19 individual matches that contributed to the team score, the closest Bridgeport came to winning one was in a boys singles match where Chris Reyes still won easily 8-5.

As usual, teams started with their doubles matches. On the Steers’ side, the brother duo of Hayden Burrows and Barron Burrows won with ease 8-1. Brodey Mills and Chris Reyes, who have partnered together already this season, won 8-4. To round things off, Keigan Garland and Paul Andrade handled their opponents 8-1.

One of the highlights of the day were the girls doubles teams. All three Lady Blues pairs swept their opponents by not allowing Bridgeport a single game in any of the matches.

Heather Wright and Jade Dospapas led off with a huge 8-0 win, Kline Krupp and Stacey Gonzalez won a shortened match 3-0 and Hope Jones and Reanna Brock finished things off with an 8-0 sweep to keep Graham perfect through doubles.

Graham head coach Matt Birdwell tried out a different pairing for the team’s mixed doubles competition. Olivia Buckley, who’s been part of the duo all season thus far, played with Silas Yoder and the team won 8-4.

With a 7-0 lead already, the Steers and Lady Blues continued to pile on as the teams ventured into the singles matches. For the Steers, the Burrows brothers kept the winning going as No. 1 Hayden Burrows swept his opponent 8-0 and No. 2 Barron Burrows won 8-3.

No. 3 Yoder earned an 8-1 victory, No. 4 Mills won 8-2, No. 5 Reyes finished off his 8-5 win, No. 6 Andrade claimed an 8-3 victory and No. 7 Garland wrapped things up with a big 8-1 win.

The Lady Blues did just as much winning as the Steers and it started with No. 1 Dospapas, who has yet to lose a singles match this season. She earned an 8-1 victory, followed by No. 2 Gonzalez defeating her opponent 4-0.

No. 3 Wright easily took care of her opponent 8-1, No. 4 Buckley swept her match 8-0, No. 5 Krupp won 8-2 and No. 6 Jones put a bow on Graham’s overall win with an 8-0 sweep.

“We played a really good match,” Birdwell said. “We play well at home, we haven’t lost a match at home.”

With a 2-5 record on the season, Graham’s tennis team will go for another win at home in their match-up against Glen Rose at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22.

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