Lady Jays top Helias in tennis

Abbey Verslues of Helias makes a return with a backhand during Wednesday's dual against Jefferson City at Washington Park.
Abbey Verslues of Helias makes a return with a backhand during Wednesday's dual against Jefferson City at Washington Park.

The Jefferson City Lady Jays swept the three doubles matches Wednesday on their way to a 6-3 victory against the Helias Lady Crusaders in a season-opening tennis dual at Washington Park.

In the No. 1 doubles match, the team of Paige Smith and Eden Hoogveld defeated the duo of Ashley Dowden and Mary Conley 10-6. In No. 2 doubles, Kelly Raithel and Kirsten Schmidt were 10-4 winners against Abbey Verslues and Casey Clogston. The No. 3 doubles match went to the team of Athira Nambiar and Delta Verslues, who topped Lauren Highfill and Becca Shelton 10-7.

The two teams split the singles matches.

Jefferson City took the No. 2 singles match when Smith defeated Abbey Verslues 10-2. At No. 3, Hoogveld defeated Conley 10-4, while at No. 4, Schmidt rallied from a 6-5 deficit to beat Highfill 10-6.

Helias won at No. 1 singles, with Dowden eating Raithel 10-3. The Lady Crusaders also took wins at No. 5, where Shelton defeated Nambiar 10-7, and at No. 6, where Clogston was a 10-1 winner against Delta Verslues.

Helias is back in action today at home against Mexico.

The Lady Jays will be back on the courts Tuesday when they host Hickman.

In junior varsity action Wednesday, Helias won four of the five singles matches while the teams split four doubles matches.