By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School tennis team lost 3-2 at local rival Bluffton in a makeup match Tuesday evening, May 10.
The Bulldog dual match record dropped to 4-5 with the defeat. Bluffton improved to 5-6 after the victory.
Ada won the top two singles matches easily in the battle between the only two Northwest Conference teams to sport varsity spring tennis.
Bulldog senior Dexter Woods cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory at first singles over senior Luke Shadle.
Junior Brendan Jameson rolled in straight sets at second singles over junior Braeden Ackerman, also by a 6-1, 6-1 count.
Ada junior Amelia Alexander lost a close two-hour, two-set match featuring long rallies at third singles. She fell to sophomore Wade Ginther 6-4, 7-6 (7-5 tiebreaker).
The Bulldog duo of Julia Kamatali and senior Isaac Williams lost at first doubles to junior Eli Wenger and senior Will Neff 6-3, 6-3.
The Ada second doubles tandem of senior Riley Ferguson and freshman Nate Williams also lost 6-3, 6-1 to freshmen Jack Brauen and Branson Hilty.
Ada competes in the Div. II sectionals at Lima this Thursday and possibly Saturday, if any players or teams advance that far.
Woods takes on Gage Buxton of Kenton in first round sectional singles play. Jameson faces off against Connor Coffey of Wapakoneta, while Alexander plays Francesco Pasolini of LCC.
In the doubles tournament, Klingler and Isaac Williams play Cody Hirt and Connor Milner in round one. Riley Ferguson and Nathan Williams face Caleb Bledsoe and Devon Story of Van Wert.
Sectional semifinalist qualifiers make it to the district round next week.
