TRIBUNE/Matthew Gorry
Junior Payton Nicholson leads a new-look Elkin tennis program as the No. 1 player and the lone upperclassmen on the court.
ELKIN - The new-look Lady Elks are rebuilding their championship program.
After graduating eight total seniors, including their top six players dubbed the “Super Six Pack,” the Elkin tennis team is fielding a whole new roster on the court.
Junior Payton Nicholson is the lone upperclassmen in the top six as five freshmen round out the list. Ally Gentry, Julie Neumark, Kennedy Freeman, GiGi Kakouras and Carolyn Blackburn began the season as Elkin No. 2-5 players.
The Elks began the season with a 5-4 win over North Wilkes.
Nicholson, Neumark and Blackburn recorded wins in singles play, while Nicholson/Neumark and Kakouras/Elise Corrigan picked up wins in doubles.
In the second game of the year, Elkin was swept by Wilkes Central 9-0 in the programs’ first Mountain Valley Conference loss in more than three seasons.
The three-time defending undefeated conference champions were bounced by the Eagles in straight sets, with Nicholson (6-3, 6-4) and Gentry (6-4, 6-2) turning in the closest matches of the afternoon.
Elkin was topped once again in their next match against Forbush last Thursday afternoon in East Bend.
Corrigan picked up the Elks lone win, 6-2, 6-3, as Nicholson was handed her second loss of the season at No. 1, 6-4, 6-2.
Elkin bounced back and evened their overall record to 2-2 with a hard-fought 5-4 win over Alleghany Monday afternoon.
Nicholson, Corrigan, Kakouras and Sarah Myers recorded singles wins, while Corrigan/Gentry managed the Elks lone doubles win.
Elkin looks to push its record over .500 for the time first time since the opening week when they travel to East Wilkes Tuesday night.
Reach Matthew Gorry at 835-1513 or mgorry@heartlandpublications.com.
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