FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Farmington swept the Poplar Bluff tennis team out of the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 tournament for a second straight year Monday.
The Mules held an early lead in the No. 2 doubles match before senior Kaitlyn Lloyd and junior Mya White fell 8-4 while the Knights won the other two doubles matches and got a forfeit win in singles play of a 5-0 victory.
"Played a tough team but the girls played well," Mules coach Charles Harper said.
Poplar Bluff (4-10), which was also swept in the regular-season match at Farmington, faced an uphill climb after losing all three doubles matches.
Sara Holland and Shelbey Johnson lost their top-seeded doubles match 8-1 while Caitlin Dollins and Clarissa Varner lost 8-0.
Lloyd and White, who came in 7-6 in doubles play, led their No. 2 doubles match 3-2 but Farmington's Virginia Lugo and Mary Kate Burcham won the next three games for the lead. Lloyd and White got within 5-4 before the Knights closed out the match.
"I believe they played the best they ever have together," Harper said.
Varner trailed 3-0 in her No. 6 singles match before withdrawing with an injury and Farmington ended the match when top-seeded Erin Coleman beat Holland 6-0, 6-0.
Poplar Bluff will host the individual district tournament Thursday.
Mules enter state football rankings
The Mules entered the state rankings for the first time since 2003 this week, when members of the media around the state voted them No. 9 in Class 5.
Poplar Bluff is 6-0 for the first time since 2003 when the Mules got as high as No. 6 in Class 4 with an 8-0 start to the season.
The Mules host Sikeston on Friday for homecoming.
--DAR