High school girls tennis: Kennett doubles up Cape Notre Dame

The Kennett High School girls tennis team faced a familiar foe on Tuesday afternoon at The Wheatley Courts.

That foe was Cape Notre Dame Regional.

The two schools squared off in the season opener at Cape Girardeau on Aug. 29, with Kennett victorious, 5-4.

Kennett�s Handley McAtee serves during her match at No. 2 singles versus Cape Notre Dame Regional on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at The Wheatley Courts in Kennett. (Photo by Eric Viccaro, staff)

This time around — thanks to the addition of senior Christi Tejeda — the Indians had a little more breathing room in a 6-3 conquest as players battled their opponents and the gnats.

“They have some good players and they are always a solid challenge for us,” Kennett head coach Janet Hilburn said.

The Indians met the challenge here, and rolled to their 51st consecutive victory. Kennett hasn’t lost on the court since 2020.

Tejeda blanked Notre Dame’s Erika West 8-0 in the No. 3 singles position.

She also teamed with freshman Olivia Rebstock for a 9-8 victory over Suna Mungee

and Mary Cox at No. 2 doubles.

Tejeda, Rebstock, Mungee and Cox all played exemplary doubles tennis throughout the match, with the Indians earning a hard-fought 7-4 win in the tie-breaker.

“Christi is helping lead the team,” Hilburn noted. “Having her back is putting less pressure on the newcomers.”

The powerhouse defending state champion doubles team of Claire Bean and Handley McAtee continue to dominate all-comers.

Bean and McAtee bageled Vita Galati and West at No. 1 doubles.

Both girls had more challenging singles matches.

Still, Bean topped Galati in the No. 1 singles contest, 8-2. McAtee defeated Mungee, 8-3. Each match featured several deuce points, so it wasn’t easy by any stretch.

Jady Quinn and Emory Kamper, a pair of sophomores, both suffered losses at the varsity level in singles and doubles.

In the junior varsity matches, senior Maddi Johnson earned a default victory at No. 1 singles. Emaelee Nelson and Shirley Swafford also won at the JV level.

Kennett continues its regular season with matches at home versus Caruthersville Wednesday, and at Sikeston Thursday.