Mathews High School girls’ tennis team members played their hearts out last Thursday night to defeat conference opponent West Point, 9-0. Every match was a battle; the Lady Devils were playing under the lights until 9 p.m.

The Lady Devils got the ball rolling starting with the singles matches. Elizabeth Ransone played the match of her life at number one to come back and win after splitting sets with opponent Jane Hagen, ending with a score of 1-6, 7-5 and 6-0. Ransone won three straight games to stay alive in the second set after being down, 4-5.

Kate van Emmerik played dominantly to win 6-1, 6-3 over opponent Sarah Sheffield at number two. At number three, Morgan Johnson won 6-0, 6-2 over her opponent Delanie Beattie and Ashley Hudgins also won 6-0, 6-2 over her opponent Suzanne Prince at number four. Alexis Wells beat Tia Lee in two sets, winning 6-3, 6-4 at number five. Rachel Stewart played an incredible match and defeated F. Hodges in three sets at the number sixth seed. She won her first set, 6-1, lost a frustrating second set, 5-7, and then played strong mentally and physically to win the third set, 6-0, over her opponent.

The Lady Devils continued to play phenomenal matches in doubles play. At number one, Ransone and van Emmerik worked off each other to win, 6-1, 6-3. Because of limited court lights, number two and three doubles each played eight-game pro sets. Johnson and Hudgins won 8-0 at number two, as did Wells and Stewart at number three.

On Monday the Lady Devils played conference opponent Middlesex, again winning 9-0.

Ransone beat opponent Tamara Cook, 6-2, 6-0, at number one. At number two, van Emmerik won her match, 6-0, 6-0, over opponent Marry Kiko. Morgan Johnson (3) and Ashley Hudgins (4) also defeated opponents Lilly Poulson and Amberly Blakely, 6-0, 6-0, in their singles matches. Alexis Wells (5) won her match against opponent Sarah Tate, 8-0.  At number 6, Rachel Stewart defeated Bryana Rios, 8-1.

The Lady Devils didn’t give up a game in doubles play. Starting with number one doubles, Ransone and van Emmerik beat Cook and Poulson, 6-0, 6-0. Johnson and Hudgins won their match against Kiko and Blakely, 8-0, and Wells and Stewart won their match, 8-0, against opponents Tate and Rios.

Mathews travel to West Point today to face the Lady Pointers again in their final conference match.