Shorthanded Bucktail tennis suffers first loss at South Williamsport

By Bees O’Brien

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT- The Bucktail tennis team was hoping to keep their undefeated season intact on Tuesday afternoon and at the same time lock up the first half of the Mid Penn Conference, but a strong South Williamsport team combined with the Lady Bucks being shorthanded resulted in a victory for the Lady Mounties.

One of Bucktail’s missing players was their number one, Eva Sockman. Lady Bucks’ head coach Allison Heiser jockeyed around her lineup.

South played strong throughout the match and their number one Emma McLaughlin defeated Bucktail’s Kendall Wagner 6-2, 6-2. Lola English, who was bumped to the number two position dropped a 6-1, 6-0 decision to South Williamsport’s Mylee Morrison.

McKenna Bissman, who has been primarily a doubles player in the Lady Bucks’ lineup seen her first singles action of 2025 at the number three spot. Bissman fell 6-2, 6-1 to the Lady Mounties’ Morgan Ertel.

In doubles, it was more of the same for Bucktail. Carrie Ditty and Kelsie Wagner dropped a hard fought decision to South’s Ava Foote and Peyton Coolidge 6-4, 6-2.

In the number two doubles match South Williamsport’s Carly Loudenslager and Caroline Melvin kept things rolling over Riley Salizonni and Kaitlin Paloskey 6-3, 6-3. It was Paloskey’s debut varsity match.

Bucktail, now 5-1 will next be in action at home Thursday when they host NP-Liberty.

SINGLES

Emma McLaughlin (SW) def. Kendall Wagner (B) 6-2, 6-2

Mylee Morrison (SW) def. Lola English (B)  6-1, 6-0

Morgan Ertel (SW) def. McKenna Bissman (B)  6-2, 6-1

DOUBLES

Ava Foote/ Peyton Coolidge (SW) def. Carrie Ditty/ Kelsie Wagner (B)  6-4, 6-2

Carly Loudenslager/ Caroline Melvin (SW) def. Riley Salizonni/ Kaitlin Paloskey (B)  6-3, 6-3