By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Like the gunfighters in the Old West, tennis players can challenge for the right to play at a coveted lineup position. Call it the Duel on the Asphalt. Bedford North Lawrence’s Italy Lewis has battled teammate Ashlyn Wever for the opportunity to move up to No.2 singles, and she just can’t figure out how to win that head-to-head clash.
Perhaps she shouldn’t. Locked in at No.3 singles, Lewis has been consistent and successful. She improved to 6-1 this season with a straight-set victory, a critical point as the Stars clipped Loogootee 3-2 on Tuesday afternoon.
BNL (5-3) swept the doubles, in expected fashion, so the Lewis point was the difference, even though she was the first off the courts. She rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over Marley McAtee.
“She’s a solid three, more than solid,” BNL coach Joni Stigall said. “I like her there, I don’t want to move her from there. I can depend on her. She’s the one we look to, for sure.”
In doubles, the Stars were dominant. Bella Stigall and Mallory Pride flashed too much athletic firepower while topping Loogootee’s Anastasia Toy and Addy Lengacher 6-1, 6-2 at No.1, while Kenley Craig and Izzy Alldredge rolled past Macy Knepp and Abbey Fischer 6-1, 6-1 to remain undefeated at No.2.
“They are a 1 doubles teams at a lot of places,” Stigall said of her second tandem. “At 1, we can’t have silly errors against a lot of teams. We have to get rid of those.”
The Lions (5-4) won the top two singles. Kieragen Napier fought off Becca Epping 6-2, 6-2 at No.1, while Caitlin Carrico bounced back from an early 4-1 deficit in the first set to down Wever 6-4, 6-0.
“Becca is playing great,” Stigall said. “Things just don’t always go her way. Just not enough patience. If we can get her some patience, she will have more success. The shots are there, it’s just putting them together.”
The Stars will visit Jennings County on Thursday, then host Martinsville and Evansville Christian in the BNL Invitational on Saturday.
BNL 3, LOOGOOTEE 2
Singles
1 Kieragen Napier, L d. Becca Epping 6-2, 6-2
2 Caitlin Carrico, L d. Ashlyn Wever 6-4, 6-0
3 Italy Lewis, BNL d. Marley McAtee 6-0, 6-1
Doubles
1 Bella Stigall and Mallory Pride, BNL d. Anastasia Toy and Addy Lengacher 6-1, 6-2
2 Kenley Craig and Izzy Alldredge, BNL d. Macy Knepp and Abbey Fischer 6-1, 6-1
