Sports - August 2002

LHS girls tennis team should contend in conference play

LTN Staff Reports

August 16, 2002 - An impressive 8-1 season-opening win over Salisbury Tuesday confirms what everyone suspects.

The 2002 Lincolnton women’s tennis team should be a strong contender for the Midwest 2A Conference championship.

The Lady Wolves return most of their singles lineup from last year, and boast another group of players who have shown imporvement, coach Chris Hoffman said.

“Our seniors are experienced and know what it will take,” Hoffman said. “Our success will lie in the development of our younger players.”

Lincolnton plays a rugged non-conference schedule, but the goal is to get the team prepared for the conference battles. Hoffman said Lincolnton’s chief challenger for Midwest 2A supremacy will be Shelby.

The returning singles starters, all seniors, are Andrea Stroup, Caitlin Andews, Fallon Heavner and Kristen Kinney. Stroup and Andrews were all-conference and state tournament qualifiers in 2001, and Heavner earned all-Midwest 2A honors.

Other returning players are sophomores Shawn Kindley, Sarah Long, Anna Carpenter and Liz Rhine and Mary Heather Lineberger.

Kindley emerged as a doubles starter last season and is being counted on to play singles this season.

Hoffman said Long, Carpenter and Rhine “must step up their play for us to be successful.”

The newcomers to the team are sophomore Jessica Newton and freshman Angela Graham. Newton was a doubles starter in the opener against Salisbury.

Graham is a “talented young player who learns quickly.”

The Sept. 24 match at Shelby should be for the conference title.

After playing South Point, Lake Norman, East Lincoln and powerhouse Statesville, the Lady Wolves open Midwest 2A play Sept. 10 against West Lincoln.

Thursday game results at Mooresville: A “hungry” Mooresville team topped LHS 5-4

Mooresville won three singles to lead the way.

The Lady Wolves got its singles victories from No. 2 Fallon Heavner (7-5, 6-3), Sarah Long (6-3, 6-4) and Kristen Kindley (6-4, 7-5). The lone doubles win came from the No. 3 team of Jessica Newton and Liz Rhine (8-6).

“We had a number of opportunities to win the match but we could not capitalize on them,” LHS coach Chris Hoffman said. “We lost two close singles matches that could have wrapped the match. We still had confidence that we could pull out a win with our doubles play but could only muster one victory. (Newton and Rhine) kept their No. 3 doubles close and got a hard-earned victory.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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