Marble Falls tennis loses to Little River Academy

CAPTION: Junior Cooper Womack continues to play at a high level. He won his boys singles and doubles matches against Little River Academy. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School team tennis team lost to Little River Academy 6-13 in a battle of undefeated District 25-4A squads Sept. 12.

The Bees are now in first place with the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs in second place.

“I have to prepare the players better,” Marble Falls head coach Samuel Whitley said. “There are some things I could have done to prepare the kids better.”

The Mustangs won all three boys doubles matches and Cooper Kelley, Payton Glaser and Cooper Womack won the their boys singles matches.

While the Academy girls swept all their matches and won the mixed doubles, Whitley noted many games went to deuce.

“We fought, we had long points,” he said. “We couldn’t finish the deal in games. There were close games. I have to get players better prepared and finish points and win the match.”

Whitley said he is confident in every athlete who picks up a racket. He believes they can play with and beat opponents. Now it’s a matter of getting the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs to believe they can win, too.

The other challenge is getting them confident to go for winners instead of waiting for their opponent to make mistakes. The coach pointed out that Womack, who is the two-time boys singles district champion, is unafraid of pouncing on a ball and going for a winner in a rally.

“He may miss some, but he makes more than he misses,” Whitley said. “I have to get my other players that confident. There were many opportunities that we could have won. We have improved as a team over the past years.”

Marble Falls is at Lago Vista, which is fourth in the district standings, at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19.

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