It was downright cold Tuesday when the Blair High School tennis team bested South Sioux City, 3-2.
The Bears wore jackets and sweatshirts on the Stemmermann Park courts as their coaches and teammates wrapped themselves in blankets off to the side of it.
“With the wind and it being colder, the ball bounces a lot different,” junior Kayleia Chesson said. “It bounces lower or it bounces higher.”
The elements can play into serves, too.
“When you toss the ball up real high, the wind can shift the ball and you can miss your serve,” Chesson added, cracking a smile. “That's my only problem with the weather.”
BHS overcame the added challenge, however, knocking off the Cardinals with three doubles victories. While Hadyn Ferguson and Angela Roehrs fell just short in singles play — 8-6 and 9-7, respectively — coach David Christensen's lineup earned a clean sweep at Nos. 1, 2 and 3 doubles.
Bears Ally Sullivan and Abby Leggott won 8-3 and Lissy Spangler and Hannah Heuton earned an 8-2 victory — the same winning score produced by Chesson and Jo Inget.
“We have some really great chemistry together and I love being her partner,” Chesson said of her pairing.
“We work really well together and we have a little bond going on,” Inget added, describing the No. 2 doubles team's on-court synergy.
Though the matches weren't scored, both partners earned singles wins against SSC, too. Inget won her match 8-3.
“I kind of was just trying to work on basics and my skills instead of winning with the weather, trying to combat it,” she said.
Chesson, meanwhile, earned an 8-1 singles victory in the wind. She said she worked to keep her composure and focus on fundamentals to get the win.
Additionally, Blair's Sullivan, Roslyn Solano, Spangler and Josie Kros also claimed unscored singles victories Tuesday afternoon. Roehrs and Feguson were among those in doubles play who did, too.
The Bears were scheduled to play again Thursday against Omaha Brownell-Talbot. Their next dual, however, is 4 p.m. Monday against Ralston at Stemmermann Park.
