By Ron Geiser

This week is a big one for the Bluffton High School girls tennis team as it attempts to break the school record for consecutive wins.

Coach Tony Carmack"s 2002 team won its first nine matches on its way to a 15-4 season mark, the best in Pirate tennis history. Last week coach Jesse Sensenig's team matched that streak with a shutout win over Fostoria, now posting a 9-1 record.

The lady netters didn't fare as well in the Fostoria Invitational last Saturday, however, taking third place among five teams. A powerful Oregon Clay team dominated the event.

The doubles teams of Ashlin Gable/Emily Sprague and Kristi Geiser/Shannon Koch placed second. Gable/Sprague drew a bye, then beat an Ottawa-Glandorf team before losing to Clay in a three-set championship match.

Geiser/Koch had straight set wins over O-G and Fostoria, but lost their first-place match to another Clay team.

A third doubles team of Shaye Liddick/Bronwyn Greer lost to O-G and Fostoria, while Dynasty Martin dropped two matches to a Clay player in the lone singles competition.

BHS is to play at Lima Central Catholic today (Monday), weather permitting, and at Elida Tuesday.