Lady Mules tennis off to a good start

The Poplar Bluff High School tennis team opens the season with their best start in recent years.

The Lady Mules are currently 4-1 and have landed solid wins over Dexter (4-6) and the longtime rivalry of Jackson High School (7-7). The Lady Mules have struggled to stay above a .500 winning percentage for the past few seasons, but this season may differ from the others.

Head tennis coach Michelle Massey said this year’s team has been focused and has approached their matches a lot more aggressively this season than they have in the past.

“We’ve come out really strong to start the season,” Massey said. “The girls have fought through adversity and have not given up in any of their individual or doubles matches, it has shown with how we are playing.”

The Lady Mules varsity squad defeated Jackson 5-2, which Massey deemed the highlight of the season so far because the team has suffered defeat from the Lady Indians for many years. She was proud of how the varsity team competed because it wasn’t an easy win, and she admired how the team pulled together to get the win.

Junior Kaitlyn Booker prepared to serve for the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules tennis team during a single matchup against Dexter.DAR/D'COURTLAND CHRISTIAN

With a solid start to the season, Massey said she gives all the credit to the girls for working hard at practice and competing each time they step on the tennis court.

“Most of the girls on the varsity team are in their year as a member of this team, so having all that experience really helps,” Massey said. “They’ve had a strong mindset and the right mental toughness during each match. I can tell they want to win and do not give up. I give a lot of credit to those girls and how they perform every single game.”

Massey said the dynamic trio of junior Kaitlyn Booker, Molly Maurer and senior Ava Richardson have been the key factors for the team’s success thus far. She said Booker and Richardson have taken home wins in singles and doubles. Mauer has played excellent in the number two spot, bringing in singles wins from both Dexter matches.

The Lady Mules will hit the road for the Springfield Tennis Invitational on Wednesday as they get prepared to take on some tough competition later this week against Notre Dame High School (6-1) on Thursday at home. Notre Dame is known to be a tough opponent in the past, so Massey is hoping to get them prepared during the invitational.

“We’re hoping the tournament in Springfield is going to be good practice for the level of playing we’re expected to see against Notre Dame and then Arcadia Valley,” she said. “We are going to come out and play like we have for the last two weeks, and the girls just need to keep their mindset of not giving up and going for every point. They will need to run their opponents back and forth and be sure to limit their mistakes for use to get the win.