Crosstown showdown gives QHS girls tennis team boost heading into conference tournament

QUINCY — A little push in the right direction is welcome right before the Quincy High School girls tennis team chases a Western Big 6 Conference championship.

Quincy Notre Dame provided that Monday.

The Blue Devils won the crosstown dual 7-2 at the Greeman Tennis Center in Reservoir Park, but two of the three doubles matches were battles and tiebreakers were necessary in the Nos. 2 and 3 singles matches in order to give QHS the edge.

“We needed a tough match, and really, it was in doubt until Lily walked off the court,” said QHS coach Mike Terry, noting Lily Hayes’ 6-1, 6-2 victory over QND’s Evie Schuetz at No. 1 singles. “The top four matches were all close. So we had to fight.”

That should carry over to Friday and Saturday when the Blue Devils play host to the WB6 tournament.

“It helps my mindset,” Hayes said. “There are players like Evie in the Western Big 6.”

Hayes teamed with her sister, Phoebe, to beat Schuetz and Addi Zanger 8-5 in the No. 1 doubles match. Phoebe Hayes then outlasted QND’s Aly Young for a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory at No. 2 singles.

“It’s good because I can improve as a player more and win more if I play challenging matches,” Phoebe said.

Audra Cain helped secure the victory for QHS by beating Zanger 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 at No. 3 singles.

QHS’s freshmen duo of Anika Reddy and Mary Dodd continue to roll. Reddy beat the Raiders’ Ava Jacobsen 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles, while Dodd beat Morgan Zanger 6-0, 6-3 at No. 6. Reddy and Dodd also beat Jacobsen and Morgan Zanger 8-0 at No. 3 doubles.

Their strong play gives Terry options for how he sets the lineup for the WB6 tourney.

Each of the eight league teams will have two singles players and two doubles teams in the draw. The seed meeting is Wednesday night.

“I like that we’ve played really well the last two weeks,” Terry said. “I like that we have a lot of different combinations, but we have to make a decision for WB6 and sectionals on who plays in what spot. We have a lot of options, and we have some doubles team that are playing really well.”