Daily Reporter staff reporter
The 29th-ranked Mt. Vernon girls tennis team turned a long day into a triumphant one, winning the North Montgomery Invitational with a 3-0 sweep Saturday.
The Marauders beat Covington 5-0 in morning before knocking off Danville 4-1 in the afternoon. In the finals, the Marauders faced North Montgomery and powered through for a 3-2 win.
Mt. Vernon and North Montgomery were tied up 2-2 in the championship after Marauders’ Maeve McCafferty and Alexis Lane came through 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles and Alaina Nelson won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 singles.
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Olivia Spicer secured the victory for Mt. Vernon with an intense No. 2 singles match against the wind and fatigue to prevail 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Spicer, Nelson and the No. 2 doubles team finished the day 3-0. Kaleigh Helm went 2-1 at No. 3 singles.
The No. 1 doubles team of Emily Annakin and Maeve Laughlin went 1-2.
“This team continues to show me how much character they have all season long. Alaina, Olivia and the two dubs were huge going undefeated. Helm went 2-1 and lost a tight match in the last one,” Mt. Vernon head coach Gabe Muterspaugh said. “We have to get more from our No. 1 dubs, but Laughlin just getting back, we have to step it up quickly. Super pumped about McCafferty and Lane going 3-0 without ever playing together. Huge day, huge win.”
The Marauders are 14-1 on the season and played New Palestine on Monday.
Prior to the Marauders’ match Saturday, they increased their win total to 11-1 with a 5-0 sweep of rival Greenfield-Central on Thursday.
The match was halted earlier due to rain, but the Marauders picked up where they left off to win.
Nelson cruised 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 singles. Spicer won 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Helm earned a 6-0, 3-0 win that was shortened due to illness by the Cougars.
Sophie Williams and McCafferty teamed to win 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles. Annakin and Lane finished off their match with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 2 doubles.
