Pioneer girls open season with win

Featuring a new coach and a roster full of young players, the Maharishi School girls? tennis team produced the same old winning results Monday at its season-opening dual vs. West Burlington/Notre Dame in Fairfield.

The Pioneer girls took wins in four of six singles matches, then shut the door on the visitors with two more wins in doubles action for a no-nonsense, 6-3 team victory.

?It was great to start the season with a well-earned victory,? said first-year head coach Sheila Higgins, who took the reins of the program from long-time coach Laurie Eyre.

Maharishi School sophomore Jacqueline Leete won handily at No. 1 singles, defeating Lindsey Johnson 6-1, 6-1. Alina Knight, also a sophomore, claimed a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles, and junior Flower Shreck earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 4. The Pioneers? No. 6, junior Isabel Reed, also won 6-0, 6-1 in her singles match.

Knight teamed up with sophomore Dia Huggins at No. 1 doubles to win her second match of the evening by a score of 8-2. Reed and sophomore Kadie Roberts beat Notre Dame?s No. 3 doubles team 8-4 to conclude the dual.

Next up for the 1-0 Pioneers is an away match at Fort Madison on Saturday.