The Bishop McGuinness varsity girls’ tennis team improved to 11-1 with a 9-0 road win over Winston-Salem Prep and is one of the top Class 1-A teams in the state.
On Monday, the Lady Villains won every match 8-0. Lucia Neves, Kendall Herr, Adelaide Jernigan, Sarah Pulliam, Emma Montanez and Annabelle Castelda each won in single competition. In doubles competition the teams of Herr and Lily Winters, Porter Redmon and Nancy Laney, and Gabrielle Archer and Alice Pulliam collected 8-0 wins.
The Lady Villains’ only loss this season was a 5-4 loss to East Wilkes. East Wilkes pulled out the win with a victory in the last doubles match. In its next match, Bishop McGuinness defeated archrival and defending Class 1-A champion Mount Airy 5-4.
Lady Villain Head Coach Larry Ingram called East Wilkes a tough school.
“They’re good competition for us. We had not played a lot of tough teams before. Then we had a big match against Mount Airy. Mount Airy has won the state championship the last three years,” he said.
Freshman Lucia Neves is the top seed for the Lady Villains and is a threat to win the individual Class 1-A State title, and Bishop has multi-sport players.
“Lucia is probably one of the best on the female side. She plays year-round. In December she is going to a national tournament. … She is undefeated this season and I think she has only lost two games. She also plays doubles and is a really good doubles player,” Ingram said.
The Lady Villains will have a rematch against East Wilkes today and will then host Cornerstone Charter on Sept. 30. Bishop will close the regular season with a home match against Winston-Salem Prep.
