Undefeated.
That’s the legacy the 2022 Burlington High School girls tennis team will leave behind,
The Grayhounds finished the regular season Thursday night with a 9-0 dual meet win at Dankwardt Park over cross-town rival Notre Dame-West Burlington. That gave Burlington a 9-0 dual meet record.
“That’s really exciting,” said Burlington coach Bailey Galvin-Poellot, “especially after last year when we went 7-2 and this year we get to go 9-0. To see the girls improve from year to year and we’re going Hopefully we can keep it consistent. “
The total score of the nine dual meets was 69-12. Mount Pleasant gave Burlington the biggest scare, falling 6-3 to BHS April 14 at Dankwardt Park. But the Grayhounds topped the Panthers 8-1 May 2 at Mount Pleasant.
Burlington won five duals by 8-1 scores and two by 7-2. Thursday’s dual was the Grayhounds’ only 9-0 sweep, and that appeared to be in jeopardy at No. 3 doubles.
Burlington’s Grace Hecox and Kylie Wolf had the early lead, but ND-WB’s Jasmine Jong and Lauren Allen bounced back to take a lead. Then the match was tied at 8-8. The Grayhound duo won the tie-breaker.
In singles: Emily Woodsmall (B) def. Elizabeth Hanna, 8-3; Macy McGinity (B) def. Bella Blaufuss, 8-2; Emily Mosley (B) def. Ashi Pennaka, 8-1; Hecox (B) def. Shona Anderson, 8-4; Jacqui Workman (B) def. Jong, 8-0; and Emma Coffin (B) def. Chloe Diewold, 8-0.
In the other two doubles matches: Woodsmall / McGinity (B) def. Blaufuss / Anderson, 8-2; and Workman / Coffin (B) def. Hanna / Pennaka, 8-2.
The air temperature was again in the 90s.
ND-WB coach Ashley Iehl said it was hotter at Wednesday’s regional, however. “It was 97” at the regional, she said. “By the time we were done we were out in the sun about six hours. So it was way hotter (Wednesday) than it was today.”
“Actually, it’s been pretty hot all week,” Galvin-Poellot said “They played in about this weather Monday and about this weather Wednesday, so lots of tennis and lots of heat. The wind died down and that definitely helps us, but we ‘ve been playing in 40-degree weather all season and then now it’s in the 90s. ”
Galvin-Poellot is happy with the progress her team has made in the two years she’s been head coach.
“We had 20 girls come out this season,” Galvin- Poellot said. “We had 16 last year, so we’re growing. I really didn’t know where we were going to be in the lineup, so challenge matches were really important. We’ve kept it pretty consistent and we’ve definitely grown and Definitely learned the game a lot more, definitely more strategy. Before, it was more about learning to stroke, but this year we could work on strategy. “
It was Senior Night for Burlington and the Grayhounds honored seven graduating seniors – Coffin, Hecox, Wolf, Woodsmall, Workman, Jayah Kent and Morgan Schroeder.
“We’re losing quite a bit of our experience, but we have some really good girls coming up,” Galvin-Poellot said. “I’m excited about where we’re going to go next year as well.”
This is Iehl’s first year coaching tennis.
“I’m excited I got to do it, actually,” she said. “Coming in, I didn’t know a whole awful lot about tennis, but it’s been a fun experience. I got to know the girls real well. They taught me the game. They’re learning the game and I’m learning It’s my first time coaching tennis, but I’ve coached other sports. “
The Nikes finished the regular season at 0-5 in duals, but Iehl is happy with their progress.
“We had players who couldn’t hit a ball at all (progress) to be able to serve a ball and return a ball,” Iehl said. “Our leaders have continued to grow. We had only had one returning girl (sophomore Elizabeth Hanna) from last year. Her serve has gotten better. We’ve got four or five other girls on our team that this is their first year ever. Every time we’ve gone out and played we’ve gotten better. “
Hanna plays No. 1 singles.
“I’m excited to see what these kids do in the future, because we’re young,” Iehl said. “We are one junior, five sophomores and three freshmen, but we’ve made major progress so far.”
The Grayhounds host Muscatine at 9 am Saturday at Dankwardt Park in the team regional. That winner plays Pleasant Valley on Tuesday.
