Near the end of her girls’ tennis match Wednesday night, Delta sophomore Alexa Bratton found herself at the net setting up for an overhead smash.  She hammered the ball down onto the court with enough force that it rose 30 feet into the air and came down again in the middle of the Delta Middle School parking lot.

Bratton’s explosive overhead smash put a symbolic exclamation point on the Eagles’ 5-0 shutout victory over Muncie Burris.

Bratton and her partner, junior Rowan Hinds, won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles to extend their team-best varsity record to 8-1 this spring.

Burris has a solid team from top to bottom, but the Owls could not match the experience level and firepower of the 20th-ranked Eagles (5-1).

An example of that was at No. 1 doubles, where senior Kelsey Vest and junior Katie Manor won 6-1, 6-1 over Burris seniors Joey Burton and Grace Murray.  The same four girls played against each other last year when the Burris girls took the opening set to a tiebreaker.  But this time, Vest and Manor dominated the match to improve to 7-2 for the spring.

In singles, junior Elizabeth Bamidele, senior Brylee Beckley and junior Olivia Marshall all won in straight sets. They combined to win 30 of the 39 games on the evening.

Bamidele owns a 6-3 record in her first season at No. 1 singles, while Beckley and Marshall each have 7-2 records.

The JV team collected a 13-7 victory as once again everyone on the team was able to play.  Highlights included:

> The Eagles won seven of eight JV singles matches, led by Stella Sieber , Tru Swoboda, Maddi Cox, Addy Anderson and Avery Gray in the top five positions.

> Ilicia Ritter played her first singles match of the year and won 8-3.

> Maddy Polito played singles for only the second time and won 8-6.

> Maddi Cox and Avery Gray each improved to a team-best 11-1 record.

> Anna Marcum and Marley Dowling made quick work of their opponents at No. 1 doubles.

> Audrey Anderson/Ella Marcum and Mylee Jones/Maggie Ratts also won big.

> Izzy Posey and Kinley Meekin adapted mid-match to a new strategy and won 8-2.

> Callie Stotler got her first career victory, winning 8-7 in a tiebreak with Shayla Stine.

> Selah Plummer and Emma Lyons gained an 8-4 victory together.

Delta’s homestand continues Thursday with a key conference match against New Palestine.  The match is expected to begin about 5:45 p.m., weather permitting.  The Dragons are 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference.

Complete Results

VARSITY

DELTA 5, MUNCIE BURRIS 0

Singles

1. Elizabeth Bamidele (D) def. Donahue (MB), 6-0, 6-3
2. Brylee Beckley (D) def. Hense (MB), 6-0, 6-1
3. Olivia Marshall (D) def. A. Murray (MB), 6-3, 6-2

Doubles

1. Kelsey Vest/Kate Manor (D) def. Burton/G. Murray (MB), 6-1, 6-1
2. Alexa Bratton/Rowan Hinds (D) def. Reed/Miller (MB), 6-3, 6-1

JV

DELTA 13, MUNCIE BURRIS 7

Singles

1. Stelle Sieber won 8-2
2. Tru Swoboda won 8-1
3. Maddi Cox won 8-2
4. Addy Anderson won 8-2
5. Avery Gray won 8-2
6. Katelynn Preston lost 1-8
7. Maddy Polito won 8-6
8. Ilicia Ritter won 8-3

Doubles

1. Anna Marcum/Marley Dowling won 8-1
2. Audrey Anderson/Ella Marcum won 8-4
3. Mylee Jones/Maggie Ratts won 8-1
4. Mackemzie Lipps/Noelle Longsworth lost 5-8
5. Chloe Oliver/Karlie Obenski lost 0-8
6. Blaysha Downing/Ryanne Evans-Bales lost 6-8
7. Avery Barnes/Sammi Raleigh lost 5-8
8. Izzy Posey/Addisen Condie lost 0-8
9. Kinley Meekin/Izzy Posey won 8-2
10. Selah Plummer/Emma Lyons won 8-4
11. Callie Stotler/Shayla Stine won 8-7 (4)
12. Emily McElyea/Avery Ayres lost 2-8