GALION — The Galion Lady Tigers tennis team had themselves quite a season in 2016.
Last fall, the Galion squad finished at 14-4 overall on the season and 7-3 in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. That record was good for just third in the league a season ago behind the Jonathan Alder Lady Pioneers (champions, 9-1) and the Prexies from Marion Harding (8-2). The Lady Tigers also had an impressive showing in the MOAC tournament, crowning a conference champion, an all-league member and finishing behind Harding (22) and Alder (21) with 19 overall points.
The good news for the Lady Tigers? All of the varsity players from a season ago are back in 2017 for head coach Bob Roesch and assistant coach Terry Gribble.
Kayley Gimbel is back for her junior season as the representative for Galion at first singles. In 2016, Gimbel posted a record of 21-3, was a Galion Inquirer Athlete of the Month, finished third at the sectional tournament and fourth at the district meet. Gimbel earned second-team all-MOAC in singles, finishing behind Harding’s Maggie Pitts.
Katherine Talbott, now a sophomore, had quite a 2016 as well and finished 17-5 as the second singles rep for the young Galion squad.
At third singles returns the Tigers only MOAC champion from a year ago. Jalyn Oswald returns for her junior season after finishing 19-3 a year ago while also winning the MOAC crown at third singles.
While the singles standouts are set for the Galion squad, eight other players are battling for spots on the two varsity doubles teams. In the two matches played so far this season, it has been the same four names on the board for the Lady Tigers. Kiersten Gifford, Danielle Schneider, Elli Chandler and Katie Baughn have been the components for Galion thus far and have posted a combined 4-0 record.
“Plenty of experience and depth should carry our Tigers to a very successful season,” states coach Gribble in an email. He continues, “winning the MOAC is the main goal for the team.”
Gone are the Lady Pioneers of Alder but entering are the Ontario Lady Warriors and the Clear Fork Lady Colts. In two matches so far, Galion has cruised to a 2-0 overall record (1-0 in the league) and have not lost a match (10-0).
Galion beats River Valley on Thursday
The weather was not promising Thursday afternoon, but despite some sporadic rain showers, the Galion Lady Tigers picked up their first Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference match of the season.
After a delay in the start of the contest due to rolling the courts to attempt to dry them up, the Galion squad took to their home courts at Heise Park to clash with the River Valley Lady Vikings. The Lady Tigers wasted no time when in posting a 5-0 win.
On court three, junior Jalyn Oswald took on her River Valley opponent and would make quick work of her en route to the first point for the home team on Thursday. Using multiple aces on the serve and well-placed service returns, Oswald was the first singles player to complete her match, winning in straight sets; 6-0, 6-0. Oswald is now 2-0 on the season.
Katherine Talbott, second singles competitor for Galion, followed a similar path to Oswald’s on court two. Talbott’s match took a bit longer to complete but she would come away with the same result, defeating her Vikings opponent in straight sets; 6-0, 6-0. Talbott is also now 2-0 in early 2017.
First singles standout Kayley Gimbel was the final singles match still in play as her River Valley opponent did her best to keep up with the junior from Galion. Gimbel found herself in multiple long volleys, battling back in forth with shots that barely cleared the net. When all was said and done, Gimbel improved to 2-0 on the year by defeating her competition; 6-2, 6-1.
Court four was ruled next to unplayable at the beginning of the match against River Valley, which caused a further delay when it came to the first and second doubles matches. After the completion of Oswald’s match, the first doubles match would take place on court three while second doubles took to the dryer court four.
The duo of Kiersten Gifford and Danielle Schneider appeared to be unphased by the extended rest and were able to cruise to a straight-set victory over River Valley; 6-2, 6-4. Gifford and Schneider are now 2-0 on the season after their win against Crestline last Saturday and River Valley on Thursday.
In the marathon match of the night was the second doubles tandem of Elli Chandler and Katie Baughn. Galion’s duo found themselves winning in the end but it would take sets of 7-5, 7-5 (7-5 tiebreaker) in order to do so. In the end, it was a sweep secured for Galion’s second victory in as many matches.
The Lady Tigers improve to 2-0 on the year and now sit at 1-0 in the MOAC. Conference action will continue next week for Galion when they head to Marion to battle the Prexies on Tuesday, August 22. On Thursday, August 24, Galion will welcome MOAC newcomers, the Clear Fork Lady Colts, to Heise Park for another league competition.
Lady Tigers return everyone in 2017
GALION — The Galion Lady Tigers tennis team had themselves quite a season in 2016.
Last fall, the Galion squad finished at 14-4 overall on the season and 7-3 in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. That record was good for just third in the league a season ago behind the Jonathan Alder Lady Pioneers (champions, 9-1) and the Prexies from Marion Harding (8-2). The Lady Tigers also had an impressive showing in the MOAC tournament, crowning a conference champion, an all-league member and finishing behind Harding (22) and Alder (21) with 19 overall points.
The good news for the Lady Tigers? All of the varsity players from a season ago are back in 2017 for head coach Bob Roesch and assistant coach Terry Gribble.
Kayley Gimbel is back for her junior season as the representative for Galion at first singles. In 2016, Gimbel posted a record of 21-3, was a Galion Inquirer Athlete of the Month, finished third at the sectional tournament and fourth at the district meet. Gimbel earned second-team all-MOAC in singles, finishing behind Harding’s Maggie Pitts.
Katherine Talbott, now a sophomore, had quite a 2016 as well and finished 17-5 as the second singles rep for the young Galion squad.
At third singles returns the Tigers only MOAC champion from a year ago. Jalyn Oswald returns for her junior season after finishing 19-3 a year ago while also winning the MOAC crown at third singles.
While the singles standouts are set for the Galion squad, eight other players are battling for spots on the two varsity doubles teams. In the two matches played so far this season, it has been the same four names on the board for the Lady Tigers. Kiersten Gifford, Danielle Schneider, Elli Chandler and Katie Baughn have been the components for Galion thus far and have posted a combined 4-0 record.
“Plenty of experience and depth should carry our Tigers to a very successful season,” states coach Gribble in an email. He continues, “winning the MOAC is the main goal for the team.”
Gone are the Lady Pioneers of Alder but entering are the Ontario Lady Warriors and the Clear Fork Lady Colts. In two matches so far, Galion has cruised to a 2-0 overall record (1-0 in the league) and have not lost a match (10-0).
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