After suffering their first loss of the season to Notre Dame last week, the Poplar Bluff tennis team returned the favor.
The Mules swept doubles play with a comeback by Adeesh Mishra and Brett Keele to hand Notre Dame its first loss 7-2 Thursday.
"Happy with everybody's efforts and the different result this time out," Mules coach Charles Harper said.
Top-seeded Humza Siddiqui didn't drop a game on his 18th birthday, improving to 13-1 this season with an 8-0 win over Garrett Hesselrode. Siddiqui, one of five seniors recognized before the match, is 46-14 in his four years of singles play.
Mishra and Keele trailed 7-4 in their doubles match but won five straight for the 9-7 win. Mishra served at 7-all, pulling ahead before breaking Notre Dame serve to close out the match. In the first meeting on April 18, a 5-4 Bulldogs home win, Mishra and Keele lost 8-3 to William Gibbs and James Stroup.
"Great confidence boost for them," Harper said.
Nathan Smith and Mishra, who switched spots at Nos. 4-5, both won 8-6 with Mishra overcoming a 6-5 deficit and Smith improving to 8-0 in singles play.
Ben Stewart won 8-3 at No. 3 as the sophomore won his 21st straight match for the Mules.
Trenton Nepean and Siddiqui won their top-seeded doubles match 8-2 while Stewart and Smith hold on for an 8-6 win.
Nepean lost his second-seeded singles match 8-6 when Collin Smith won three straight games to rally. Keele lost 8-2 at No. 6.
The Mules travel Friday to Farmington for a tournament.
GOLF
The Mules placed third in a nine-hole match at Bent Creek Golf Course in Jackson, Missouri on Thursday to end the regular season.
Notre Dame edged Jackson by a stroke 160-161 while Poplar Bluff shot 162.
Justin Pierce led the Mules at 2-over-par 38 followed by Justin Capps (40), Nathan Woolard (41) and Ryan Bridgewater (43). Analeise Pyland shot 47 and Dylan Pierce 50 for Poplar Bluff, which won the conference title Monday by 16 shots over Notre Dame.
It was the final tune-up for the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 playoff, which will be held Monday at Aberdeen Golf Course in Sunset Hills, Missouri.