Opfer leading Vandals in senior season

Natasha Opfer may have lost her singles match to Roxana’s No. 1 player on Tuesday, but in losing, Opfer showed why she is Vandalia's No. 1 singles player.

Holding a slim 7-6 advantage, Opfer lost the next two games – the first on an excellent drop shot by her opponent, the second out of her own frustration.

Opfer, however, regained her composure, using two lob shots to win the next game in four serves. Her opponent continued to play hard as well, though, eventually closing out the match 11-9.

Coach Kevin Schroeder said he hasn’t seen Opfer play that well, despite the loss.

“That’s the best singles match Natasha has played,” he said. “Even though she lost, it’s against a good singles player, and she can be proud of herself for her effort.”

Opfer, a senior, made the right shots during that match, Schroeder said, at one point striking a seemingly perfect lob that landed just a couple inches outside the line.

Because Roxana’s players like to play close to the net, Opfer and all of the Vandals were instructed to try to use the lob shot more, even though it is a difficult shot for most players.

Opfer has good control of her lob, and the rest of her shots. She perfected her game this summer at a clinic and tennis league in Effingham.

“Knowing Sarah (Hutchinson) was graduating, Natasha hit me up in the spring and asked me, ‘Where are some clinics I can go to to improve my game?’” Schroeder said.

Hutchinson and Opfer split the No. 1 singles duty last season, but Opfer has improved enough to take claim to that spot in both singles and doubles this season.

And if Opfer’s example sticks with some, or all, of this year’s juniors, there could be a fight for the top spot next season.

Schroeder said Opfer is at practice every day, and he has never heard a complaint from her.

“If you want somebody setting an example, she’s done that,” Schroeder said. “She went out and worked hard all summer long, and she’s the one who initiated all that.

“I wish I could have her back,” Schroeder continued, jokingly adding, “Maybe I could get a redshirt year on her."

But since that won’t be happening, Schroeder is just going to enjoy the time she has left, hoping she can continue to help his team get back to .500.

Winning against Roxana on Tuesday would have put the team back at .500 and given it a chance to go over .500 for the first time this season when it plays Taylorville, a team Vandalia beat 9-0 earlier this season, on Thursday.

And while the 7-2 final tally looks lopsided, Schroeder said the match was closer than it seemed because a few close singles matches didn’t go the Vandals’ way.

“I knew it was going to be a tougher match because their No. 1 player wasn’t here last time (when Vandalia won 5-4),” Schroeder said. “The girls handled (playing different players) pretty well.”

After Taylorville, the Vandals will travel to the Centralia Invitational on Saturday and play three matches next week.

This week's results

Tuesday, Sept. 21
vs. Roxana
Roxana 7
Vandalia 2

Singles
No. 1 Natasha Opfer (V) loss to Baldwin; 9-11
No. 2 Lauren Wasmuth (V)  loss to  Becker; 4-10
No. 3 Cassie Goodin (V) loss to Masinelli; 5-10
No. 4 Micah Dugan (V) loss to Stonley; 2-10
No. 5 Callie George (V) loss to Pratt; 8-10
No. 6 Britney Moulton (V) def. Cox; 10-6
Doubles
No. 1 Opfer/Wasmuth (V) loss to Stanley/Becker; 6-8
No. 2 Dugan/Goodin (V) loss to Baldwin/Masinelli; 3-8
No. 3 Abby Hickerson/George (V) def. Pratt/Cox; 9-7
JV Doubles
No. 1 Chelsey Stewart/Karlee Brimberry won 6-2
No. 2 Paige Ehrat/Bailey Jones won 6-4
No. 3 Jorden Boren/Jones won 6-3
No. 4 Brittany Cook/Erika Blackwell lost 5-6
No. 5 Jenna Telser/Kayla Murray won 6-2
No. 6 Stewart/Brimberry lost 4-6

Monday, Sept. 20
vs. Greenville
Greenville 9
Vandalia 0

Singles
No. 1 Opfer loss to No. 1 Ashley Horsfall; 1-6, 1-6
No. 2 Wasmuth loss to No. 2 Kate Alderman; 2-6, 2-6
No. 3 Dugan loss to No. 3 Chelsie Evans; 0-6, 2-6
No. 4 George loss to No. 4 Kayla Gray; 0-6, 2-6
No. 5 Hickerson loss to No. 5 Nori Stone; 0-6, 0-6
No. 6 Brimberry loss to No. 6 Jill Turley; 2-6, 0-6
Doubles
No. 1 Opfer/Wasmuth loss to No. 1 Horsfall/Alderman; 6-10
No. 2 Dugan/George loss to Gray/Stone; 2-10
No. 3 Hickerson/Stewart loss to Jasine Potel/Katie Pollman; 8-10
JV Doubles
No. 1. Ehrat/Telger won 6-3
No. 2 Boren/Emilie Britt won 6-1
No. 3 Cook/Blackwell won 6-2
No. 4 Jones/Murray lost 0-6
No. 5 Jones/Murray won 6-5
No. 6 Ehrat/Telger won 6-0

Thursday, Sept. 16
vs. East Alton-Wood River
Vandalia 5
EAWR 4

Singles
No. 1 Opfer def. No. 1 Kylie Rhoades; 10-5
No. 2 Wasmuth loss to No. 2 Kristin Kirsch; 6-10
No. 3 Goodin loss to No. 3 Ashley Sneed; 10-11 (3-7)
No. 4 Dugan def. No. 4 Sandy Pham; 10-3
No. 5 George loss to No. 5 Abby Mundel; 6-10
No. 6 Moulton def. No. 6 Sam Stockton; 10-2
Doubles
No. 1 Opfer/Wasmuth def. No. 1 Rhodes/Kirsch; 8-4
No. 2 Goodin/Dugan loss to No. 2 Sneed/Pham; 6-8
No. 3 George/Hickerson def. Mundel/Jessica Hair; 8-4
JV Doubles
No. 1 Cook/Blackwell won 6-0
No. 2 Telger/Murray won 6-2