The Ephrata girls tennis team closed out its second-straight eight-win season in style Friday afternoon at Lebanon.

 

The Lady Mounts, who went 8-6 a year ago, finished strong with a 7-0 shutout victory over the host Cedars.

 

Emily Epler, Macy Smith, Taylor Ream and Abby Smith all posted straight-set victories in singles play. Cassandra Enck and Brittany Smith earned an 8-0 shutout in the number one doubles match while Ream and Macy Smith did the same at two with an 8-0 victory. Kylie Johnston and Laura Kramer added the final win in the third doubles match.

 

"We were trying to shoot for 10 wins this year and the match that would have made the difference was CV (last week) and we lost 4-3," Ephrata Coach Mike Garman said. "That was one that I think a couple things here and there we could have won but unfortunately that didn’t happen."

 

"The nice thing is, my first year we won two matches," Garman continued. "Then we won six the next season, and then last year we were 8-6 and we were 8-5 this year. Having two winning seasons back to back has been real nice for them. They’ve done a real good job."

 

Garman said the key to his teams’ continued success is his girls are putting in time in the off-season.

 

"That’s the difference. They are working at it," he said. "Emily Epler has done that, Brittany Smith has done that and Cassandra Enck has done that, along with Macy Smith. They’ve all done that otherwise they wouldn’t have improved. Our season is so short, when you come into tennis, in a six-to-seven week period you can’t take a person and transcend them into a great tennis player. It just doesn’t happen. It’s got to be done with lessons and putting time into it. Because they’ve done that they’ve had a lot of success."

 

"It’s a tribute to the kids," he continued. ‘It’s been a good group. They have done very well in terms of being able to get along and supporting one another."

 

Ephrata will now get ready for the L-L League Tournament which is set to begin Thursday. Epler (9-4 on the year) will play in Flight One while Enck (7-5) is set to compete in Flight Two.

 

Brittany Smith (11-1), who lost just one match all year, will play in Flight Three while Macy Smith (7-4) will compete in Flight Four. Epler and Brittany Smith will also play in the doubles competition.