Panther women’s tennis have earned their first wins of the season.
While crews resurfaced the Macon County Rec Park courts this summer, the team was forced to begin their regular season on the road, losing their first two matches as they waited for their home venue to be completed. On the weeks of Aug. 25 and Sept. 2, the Panthers got back on track with four straight wins including the first two on their new courts.
On Aug. 27 the team traveled to Tuscola for a Mountain Eight Conference match with the Mountaineers. There Franklin made quick work of their opponents, leaving Waynesville with their first-ever M8C win in an 8-1 blowout.
After Labor Day weekend, the team traveled to North Henderson Sept. 2 for another conference match. There, Franklin won all six matches in singles and all three in doubles for a 9-0 sweep. At Nos. 2 and 6 in singles, senior Clara Stork and sophomore Mia Boukhamphong won hard-fought first sets 7-5 and 6-4, then cruised to easy second-set wins.
The next day the team returned to Franklin for their first-ever match on their new resurfaced courts, earning a fitting 8-1 win over the usually-tough Rabun Gap. After falling to a strong foe 6-2, 6-4 at #1 singles, Marlee Barnes joined Stork in the match of the day at #1 doubles, needing an extra game to prevail 9-7. At #3 doubles Boukhamphong and Maria Santos won a hard-fought match 8-5.
The next day the team returned to the Rec Park to resume their conference schedule, hosting the Smoky Mountain Mustangs. There Franklin made quick work of their opponents once again in their second 9-0 win of the week. At Nos. 2, 4 and 5, Stork, sophomore Carah Reynolds and freshman Eva Holland each won 6-0, 6-0; while Barnes (#1), junior Olivia Rinker (#3) and Santos (#6) lost just three games apiece. At #2 doubles Holland and sophomore Grace Worley prevailed 8-0.
With four straight wins Franklin improved their record to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Mountain Eight Conference, where they ended the week in fourth place. On Monday, Sept. 8, the Panthers traveled to West Henderson after press time for a showdown with the first-place Falcons.
While Franklin went unbeaten in the old Mountain Seven each of the past three years, West was always hot on the Panthers’ heels, and figures to remain their chief rivals in the newly-formed Mountain Eight. Having beaten Franklin in the Panthers’ first two matches, Pisgah (4-1) and new addition Brevard (5-0) should also be contenders, sitting just behind the 6-0 Falcons in the conference standings.