The Homestead Lady Spartans showed why they're the state's 13th-ranked girls tennis team Thursday at Warsaw. Defeating the Warsaw Lady Tigers 4-1, Homestead wasn't forced into a third set on any of the five courts, improving its season record to 6-0, while Warsaw dropped to 4-4. "We played well and we had to play well to beat Warsaw," Homestead coach Jim Shull said. "They've got a very steady 3 singles (player) and an incredibly steady 2 singles (player). One doubles was contested, so it was a fun match." The No. 1 doubles match seemed to be the swing match of the evening. With Homestead leading the team match 2-1 after winning at No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles, while Warsaw had won at No. 2 singles, Warsaw's No. 1 doubles team of Carlye Bishopp and Lindsay Sciarra was down a set, but lead the second 4-3. However, Homestead's Kelsey Vessels and Allison Overlander won the next three points, taking the match 6-3, 6-4, and at the same time, the overall team match. "They're something of a veteran team now, because they played together all of last year," Shull said about his No. 1 doubles team. Homestead's Mary Rajchel wrapped up the last match of the night at No. 3 singles, also overcoming a 4-3 second-set deficit by scoring the final three points of the set, claiming a 6-4, 6-4 win over Elise Smith. "We played a great team, and I think we played some of our better tennis," Warsaw coach Rick Orban said. "I was pleased." With her 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 2 singles, Warsaw's Sarah Hartle improved her season mark to 8-0. "Sarah Hartle is one of the best 2 singles players in the state," Orban said. "She can hit with power if she wants, she hits with accuracy. And you when she's getting ready to hit the ball, you really can't tell if she's taking something off of it, which really keeps her opponents off balance." Hartle may be one of the best No. 2 singles players, but Homestead's Macy Johnson may be one of the best No. 1 singles players. Defeating Warsaw's Alli Tucker 6-0, 6-0, the second-team all-state member from a year ago displayed how dominate she can be. "Macy is an extremely good player," Orban said. "She's a little bit unorthodox, mainly because she hits a two-handed forehand. She just lays into that shot and rips it. She's one of the better players in the state." Of Warsaw's four losses this season, three have come against teams ranked in the top seven of District 2, including Homestead (No. 3), Fort Wayne Canterbury (No. 6) and Fort Wayne Concordia (No. 7), as well as Plymouth, the eighth-ranked team in District 1. "We play some real tough competition," Orban said. "We've been adding these teams to our schedule year after year, and the lesson is, if you play them, you find out what you need to do to get better. It also makes you mentally tougher. We can take a loss, as long as we play well." Warsaw is back on the courts tonight, travelling to NorthWood for a Northern Lakes Conference match.
