The girls’ and boys’ tennis teams have experienced record-breaking success in their post-season matches.
Girls claim MAC title
The Pleasant Valley Girls’ Tennis team clinched their sixth consecutive MAC [Mississippi Athletic Conference] title on Tuesday.
The MAC tournament consisted of nine flights of competition [No.1 through No. 6 singles and No.1 through No. 3 doubles], and Pleasant Valley won eight of them.
The top spot in the Spartans’ lineup is occupied by junior Kayla Nutt this spring after Lily Feldman [who graduated last year and currently plays tennis at Skidmore College in New York] held the top seed on the team throughout her four years at PV. Nutt had successful freshman and sophomore seasons at the No. 5 and No. 3 spots, respectively.
Nutt commented on her transition to the top spot in the Spartans’ lineup. “Being number one definitely brings more pressure,” she said. “Lily [Feldman] was one of the best players to play for PV…They’re some big shoes to try and fill, but I’m lucky to have her as a role model and give me tips along the way.”
Nutt proved her skills in the conference tournament last week. After a nail-biting three-set semifinal win against Assumption’s Lauren Dilulio, Nutt cruised to a victory in the conference championship where she defeated Clinton’s Kaylee Camp 6-3, 6-4. Nutt’s singles victory was accompanied by wins at No. 3, 4, 5, and 6 singles.
Furthermore, all three of PV’s doubles teams were crowned MAC champions. At No. 1 doubles, Nutt and senior Lauren Hird took a 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7: tiebreaker score) win over Clinton’s Camp and Abby Struble.
Be sure to come to support the girls’ tennis team at the regional qualifying meet at PVHS on Wednesday as the girls fight to punch their tickets to the state tournament.
Boys “sweep” district meet
After claiming their MAC title late last week, the Pleasant Valley Boys’ tennis team dominated at the Class 2A district meet on Wednesday, May 8.
Every 2A tennis team in Iowa is assigned to one of the eight districts throughout the state. Then, the top two singles players and top two doubles teams from each of the districts qualify for the individual state singles and doubles tournament on May 24-25 in Cedar Rapids.
In the district singles championship match, PV’s No.1 Justin Sehlin defeated freshman teammate Brady Adams 6-1, 6-0.
In the district doubles championship match, PV’s Jake Dolphin and Nathan Wong prevailed over teammates Kiran Marla and Muneeb Nadeem 6-3, 6-0.
After claiming the first place and runner-up spots for their district in both singles and doubles, the Spartans accumulated a total of 35 points as a team– the highest point value a team could earn–breaking the previous school record.
Sehlin is ecstatic about the team’s performance at districts this year. “Districts this year was huge for us because we have never sent our entire team to individual state before,” he said. 2019 is the first time in history the Spartans will send all its entire varsity lineup to the individual state tournament.
He credited this to the depth of the team and its outstanding freshman class. “This team might be the deepest top to bottom that I’ve been on,” Sehlin said. “We lost some good talent last year, but the freshman class has improved our depth tremendously.” Many of Sehlin’s teammates agree that this year’s freshman class may be the most talented to have ever come through the program.
The Spartan boys tennis team will continue to chase the State Championship as they host a Sub-state Semifinal and Final on Saturday, May 18.
As the girls and boys plunge into their postseason meets, both teams have one goal in mind: bringing home a State Championship trophy.
