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Veteran Lady Mules tennis team is 'ready to go'
The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules tennis team will not lack for experience when it opens the season Tuesday at Cape Central.
The Lady Mules have nine seniors on the roster this season and four of their six varsity players from last season, led by one of the top players in the area, if not the state.
“We have state qualifier Kaitlyn Booker returning,” Poplar Bluff coach Michelle Massey said. “She is a two-time state qualifier, so we're going to hope that that's going to be a third year in a row for her. We look for a really strong varsity this year. We're ready to go.”
Also back for the Lady Mules are Molly Maurer, Hannah Kee, Hannah White, Hannah Wiseman and Katelyn Conover. The senior class consists of Booker, Kee, Maurer, Conover, Wiseman, Meaghan Popp, Macie Winkler, Julissa Johnson and Michaley Krizman.
With so many players back, Massey said her squad needs to use its practice time wisely and stay focused during their matches.
“During their matches, they need to make sure that they're playing aggressively and they're staying mentally tough,” Massey said. “Tennis is an individual sport. A lot of times you're on the court by yourself, and they need to make sure that that they are keeping a good, strong mind throughout their entire match.”
After heading to Cape Central on Tuesday, Poplar Bluff is home Thursday against Saxony Lutheran and then hosts St. Pius X out of Festus the next day. The Lady Mules will play at the Springfield invite on Sept. 11 and head to Farmington for a tournament on Sept. 20 before competing in the SEMO Conference Tournament on Sept. 27.
“Our toughest matches will typically be Notre Dame, Kennett and Jackson,” Massey said. “Those are our toughest opponents, but we're adding several teams this year that should be really strong competition. North County (was) 14-2 last year, so we're looking forward to a matchup with them. We are also playing Festus and fitting in Farmington on our schedule. We have not played them in the regular season in quite some time. So those are some new teams we're looking — and we added those just purely for strong competition.”
But even with a tough schedule, Massey is excited ahead of Tuesday's opener.
“I think we have a great team,” Massey said. “I think our varsity girls are true leaders on the court and (off) the court, and I think they are really building up our new girls and our returning jayvee to be competitive players and to make sure that they are improving themselves when they're out here on the court at practice — and using the court time wisely.”