LW Tigercats battle LRS Broncos in tennis

The LaCrosse-Washtucna Tigercats faced the LRS Broncos for the first time in league play on Saturday, April 20, but returned home without a win against the Bronco squad. The match-up proved to be tough competition for the Tigercat team and two matches highlighted the Saturday outing to Ritzville.

Justin Wargo and Zach Swanger battled for the number one singles win, and the league rivalry victory eventually went in favor of Swanger. The two have faced each other in the number one singles match for the past two years and the match always provides excellent competition and training for the athletes.

Swanger earned the first set win with a 6-3 score, but Wargo continued to battle in the second set to split the match at the end of the second set with a 6-4 score. The match continued, lasting nearly two hours, but eventually landed in favor of Swanger who earned a 6-0 over Wargo.

In the girls’ number one singles match, Tigercat Lura Potter faced Tracy Melville. Potter suffered an early season loss to Melville during a season opening tournament in March.

Melville again dominated the court and Potter eventually fell to Melville, 6-1, 6-3. Due to the limited number of Tigercat athletes, Potter moved on to play a pro-set match against Justin Templin.

The longest match of the day that tested the true test of talent was in the number two singles match between Brooklynn Hostetler and Lindy Brown. Hostetler is competing in her first year as a tennis athlete for the Tigercats, but her natural athletic ability has helped her quickly adapt to the game and give Brown a run for her money.

Brown took the early lead, winning the first set 7-5, but Hostetler battled back to take the second set 6-1. The split sets resulted in a tiebreaker after the third set went in favor of Brown 7-6 and she would eventually win the match with a 7-5 score in the tiebreaker set.

On the boys’ side, the Tigercats number one doubles team of Levi Allen and Douglas McKeen faced Alex Wheeler and Kyle Canaday. The Broncos team defeated Allen and McKeen 6-1, 6-0, and led the Tigercat team to play a pro-set match against the Broncos’ number two doubles team of Ethan Melville and Grant Wengeler.

The Tigercats number one doubles team of Chelsie Kneale and Amber McCaleb faced a tough match against Alanna Wheeler and Kelly Melville, who won the match 6-1, 6-2. The loss allowed McCaleb and Kneale the opportunity to play a pro-set match against the Broncos’ number two doubles team of Rachel Barrus and Kymberlee Webb.

The Tigercats return to Ritzville on April 27 to play Wilbur-Creston at 11 a.m.