NORTH MANCHESTER - With only two seniors among the seven starters in the Manchester lineup on Wednesday, the Squires needed some leadership in their opener with Tippecanoe Valley.

Manchester got it from No. 1 singles player Kari Hostetler as the Squires dropped only one set on their way to a 5-0 victory.

Hostetler, a junior, notched the first victory of the day, a 6-1, 6-2 win over Kelly Montelongo that propelled Manchester to the easy win. Surprisingly, head coach Don Snell was not enthused with his team's performance on the windy day.

"They were a little jittery," Snell said. "We had dead spots. Like No. 1 (doubles team) was way up, and then in the second set they lost their rhythm. The No. 2 (doubles team) in the second set did the same thing, because they won the first and third set pretty easily."

The No. 1 doubles team of Kristy King and Amy Manges cruised in the first set against Bonnie Bickel and Carissa Parker 6-2. But in the second set, King and Manges struggled, winning 7-6 (7-5). The number two doubles team of Rachel Almond and Sarah Gilbert won the first set 6-2 and the third set 6-1, but Beth Crissinger and Kiley Whitaker jumped on a lull by the Manchester duo to win the second set 6-7 (4-7).

In both of the other two singles matches, however, Manchester had no problem as Josalyn Roth defeated Suzanne Eaton at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-3, and Kizzie Defusco defeated Malinda Parker at No. 3 singles 6-4, 6-3.

But Valley head coach Sally O'Cock was not upset with her team's performance.

"From the beginning of last year to the beginning of this year, there is a vast improvement," O'Cock said. "I could tell that tonight. It's hard to tell at practice, because you are playing the same people every day, but this is a completely different team."

Manchester will come back today and host Wabash at 4:30 p.m. That match should be a better indication of what this team can do, since their starters have gotten a match under their belts and can forget about the nervousness.

As for the Vikings, they have until Tuesday to work on the improvement aspect of their game. They will host LaVille at 4:30 p.m. But do not think that coach Sally O'Cock and her athletes will just sit around.

"We'll see Manchester again at the conference tournament," O'Cock said. "And we'll be ready for them."

MANCHESTER 5, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 0

Singles

No. 1 - Hostetler (M) defeated Montelongo 6-1, 6-2

No. 2 - Roth (M) defeated Eaton 6-3, 6-3

No. 3 - Defusco (M) defeated Parker 6-4, 6-3

Doubles

No. 1 - King and Mangus (M) defeated Bickel and Parker 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)

No. 2 - Almond and Gilbert (M) defeated Crissinger and Whitaker 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1 [[In-content Ad]]