Kennett-Holcomb tennis team stays undefeated after win road victory at Notre Dame

Handley McAtee, front, watches as her doubles partner Claire Bean serves against Dexter at the Kennett Invitational.

Photo by Kaelin Triggs, Delta Dunklin Democrat

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - After two back-to-back tournaments in Sikeston and Cape Girardeau last week, Kennett-Holcomb were on the road once again to face Notre Dame on Tuesday, Sep. 17.

With a 7-2 victory, Janet Hilburn’s tennis team was able to remain undefeated. They extended their season record to 8-0-1.

Holcomb player Claire Bean helped lead the victory for Kennett-Holcomb. She managed to go 8-0 in doubles play with her partner Handley McAtee and she also went 8-0 during her singles match. She was the only player to not drop a set on the day.

Bean and McAtee beat Notre Dame’s Mary Cox and Anna Galati 8-0. Bean then turned and beat Cox 8-0 in singles while McAtee won over Caroline Galati 8-1. Bean and McAtee both remain undefeated in singles and doubles matches this season.

For Bean, the game is just about consistency. According to her, it’s as simple as not fixing anything if it’s not broken.

“We just keep doing what we are doing,” Bean said. “Keeping my strokes, going through my shots, doing things I always do and that really helps us stay consistent.”

Bean has now played over 20 consecutive matches without dropping a single set.

Olivia Rebstock and Emory Kamper also contributed to keep the Kennett-Holcomb win streak alive. They won their doubles match, 8-4,  against Notre Dame’s Eloisa West and Harper Raffety.

Rebstock and West also faced off in the singles match, where Rebstock added a win to Kennett-Holcomb’s score. She beat West 8-1. Kamper also won over Anna Galati from Notre Dame with 8-2 final score.

Notre Dame’s pairing of Caroline Galati and Cecelia Lemmons were able to beat the Kennett pairing of Jady Quinn and Lydia Teeter in a close match. The final score was 8-6.

Raffety picked up the second win for Notre Dame as she won her singles match 8-2.

Teeter and Lemmons faced each other again during their singles match, where Teeter won 8-1 to secure the win for Kenentt-Holcomb.

Hilburn and her players will travel to Caruthersville on Wednesday and then will host Sikeston on Thursday to cap off their three back-to-back matches for this week.