By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Depth was the difference for the Allegan girls tennis team over the weekend.
Hosting its annual Early Bird Invitational on Saturday, March 21, the Tigers turned in a dominant performance, going unbeaten against Grand Haven, Coopersville and Mason.
Allegan posted 9-0 wins over both Coopersville and Grand Haven before finishing with a 7-2 victory against Mason.
Seven of the Tigers’ nine flights went 3-0 on the day, and Allegan did not drop a set until late in the afternoon.
“The depth of this group really showed,” coach Damien Arthur said. “We’re a very experienced team, especially in doubles, and that made a big difference.”
Allegan’s doubles lineup—featuring five seniors across the six spots—set the tone with strong communication, aggressive net play and consistent shot placement throughout the day.
At singles, Kendall Halstead delivered one of the most notable performances of the invite, rallying for a three-set win against Mason in what Arthur described as the match of the day.
“She showed a lot of grit and determination to come back and win that one,” Arthur said.
With the three team wins, Allegan improved to 5-0 overall on the season.
The Tigers opened the week with another strong showing, earning a 5-3 win over NorthPointe Christian in a dual meet on Thursday, March 19.
In that matchup, Allegan once again relied on its doubles depth to secure the victory.
“The doubles flights really came through for us,” Arthur said. “Our singles players also showed a lot of toughness in some very competitive matches.”
The win pushed Allegan to 2-0 at that point in the season.
Arthur also reached a personal milestone during the Early Bird Invitational, recording his 100th career victory as a varsity head coach.
Allegan will look to carry that momentum into the upcoming Allegan Invitational.
