Columbus East High School

BATESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL- The Columbus East girls tennis team traveled to Batesville on Thursday evening and came away with a hard-fought victory at the top singles spot, but the host Bulldogs prevailed overall with a 4-1 team win. Junior Lauren Degner provided the bright spot for the Olympians, battling through a grueling three-set duel at No. 1 singles. After dropping the opening set 5-7, Degner found her rhythm in the second with a 6-4 win, then edged her opponent in a dramatic super tiebreaker, 14-12. The rest of the lineup ran into a dominant Batesville squad. Bruna Carreira at No. 2 singles and Luci Morales at No. 3 singles both fell 6-0, 6-0, as did both doubles pairs: Lilli Smith and Zoe White at No. 1 doubles, and Stefani Christopher and Saya Hauser at No. 2 doubles. Despite the overall team result, Degner’s gritty performance stood out as a highlight on the evening. With the Hoosier Hills Conference tournament and IHSAA sectionals approaching, the Olympians will aim to sharpen their play and bring that same level of determination across the full lineup in upcoming matches.