The Reeths-Puffer girls tennis team came very close to gaining its second victory of the season on Saturday - twice - but had to settle for a pair of ties.
The Rockets tied Hudsonville Unity Christian and Lowell 4-4 in a multi-team event at Zeeland East High School. They also lost a match, 6-2, to Zeeland West.
Two R-P doubles teams - Malania Eilers and Gabrielle Borgerson (No. 1 doubles) and Makayla Smith and Maddie Hutchison (No. 4 doubles) - posted perfect 3-0 records on the day.
Eilers and Borgerson are in their fourth year as doubles partners. Smith and Hutchison were temporary partners on Saturday, but played very well together.
"Eilers and Borgerson were masterful, going 3-0 in the quickest of fashion," said R-P Coach Ryan Hankinson. "I think they swept all six sets in under 90 minutes."
No. 1 doubles team of Malania Eilers and Gabby Borgerson.
Against Unity Christian, the Rockets won two singles matches and two doubles matches, and came within a whisker of winning another singles match and claiming a team victory.
Olivia Smith, the Rockets' No. 1 singles player, had a great match with Unity Christian's Jayda Velzen. Smith won the first set 6-1 and Velzen won the second 6-3, forcing a third-set tiebreaker.
Smith came up just short in the intense extra set, falling 11-9.
Winners for the Rockets were Molly Matz (No. 3 singles), Mylie Neel (No. 4 singles), Eilers and Borgerson (No. 1 doubles) and Smith and Hutchison (No. 4 doubles).
In the tie against Lowell, Olivia Smith and Neel posted straight-set victories in singles while Eilers and Borgeson and Smith and Hutchison did the same in doubles.
The Rockets did not fare as well against Zeeland West. They collected both of their victories in doubles, with Borgeson and Eilers winning the No. 1 match and Smith and Hutchison winning at No. 4.
Reeths-Puffer is now 1-3-2 in its six dual matches this season.
"Overall I am excited to see how this team continues to bond as the experimentation with lineups and missing teammates settles the roster into its final form," Coach Hankinson said.