Bonney Lake Panthers Close Strong on Senior Night, Top Emerald Ridge 4-1

Sierra Roper - 7-5 6-1

After days of gray skies and rain, Bonney Lake was finally greeted with a picture-perfect afternoon, sunlight stretching across the courts, temperatures hovering in the upper 60s, and a setting that felt tailor-made for Senior Night. The Panthers took the court honoring seniors Sierra Roper and Zoe Horton, celebrating their contributions to the program in the team’s final home match of the season.

But while the conditions looked ideal, the sun told a different story. With little recent exposure to consistent warmth, both teams showed signs of fatigue as the match wore on, turning several courts into battles of endurance as much as execution.

In the end, it was Bonney Lake that found its footing, using steady play and timely momentum swings to earn a 4-1 victory over Emerald Ridge.

Alice Guo - 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

Singles Spotlight: Roper Clinches on Senior Night

At #2 singles, senior Sierra Roper delivered the defining moment of the afternoon, and fittingly, it came on her court.

Roper came out firing, racing to a commanding 5-0 lead in the opening set behind composed, consistent play. But the match quickly tightened as her opponent battled back, forcing Roper to regroup under pressure. She did just that, closing out the set 7-5 before taking full control from there.

Settling into a rhythm with her groundstrokes, Roper dictated play in the second set, building a 5-1 lead before breaking serve to finish off a 7-5, 6-1 win, a victory that clinched the match for the Panthers on Senior Night.

#1 Doubles - Kyla Twohy and Lily Jacobs - 4-6, 7-5, 2-6

At #1 singles, Alice Guo provided the afternoon’s final highlight.

After dropping the opening set 6-4, Guo flipped the match in the second, taking control early and cruising to a 6-2 win. In the deciding set, momentum swung back and forth before Guo gained the edge late. Serving at 5-4, she delivered under pressure, closing out a 6-4 third set to complete the comeback.

Doubles Duels

In doubles play, the Panthers built the foundation for their win early in the match.

#2 Doubles - Tessa Rice and Enee Choo - 7-5, 6-2

At #2 doubles, Tessa Rice and Enee Choo turned a tight first set into a statement performance. After edging it 7-5, the pair pulled away in the second, with Rice taking over at the net, putting away volleys and returning anything hit her way with authority, to close out a 6-2 win.

On the #3 doubles court, senior Zoe Horton, alongside Bre Denuh, was in control early, leading 4-1 before play was halted due to an injury on the Emerald Ridge side. After a medical timeout, the Jaguars were unable to continue, giving Bonney Lake another point.

#3 Doubles - Zoe Horton and Bre Denuh - 4-1 (Injury default)

At #1 doubles, Kyla Twohy and Lily Jacobs showed resilience throughout. After dropping the opening set, they battled back behind aggressive net play, including several well-timed poaches from Twohy, to take the second 7-5 and force a third. Long rallies and steady groundstrokes defined the final set, but Emerald Ridge pulled away late to take the match.

Final Stretch and Looking Ahead

Despite the final score, the match was competitive across nearly every court, with tight sets, extended rallies, and momentum swings defining the afternoon.

Even the weather played a role. Though temperatures stayed mild, the rare sunshine after months of overcast skies appeared to wear on both teams, with energy levels dipping late.

With the win, Bonney Lake closes out its home schedule on a high note and will look to carry that momentum into its final regular season match when the Panthers travel to Spanaway Lake on Monday.

Final Results

• #1 Singles: Alice Guo def. Eilee McGowan, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4

• #2 Singles: Sierra Roper def. Layla Hebert, 7-5, 6-1

• #1 Doubles: Sarmiento/Whipple def. Twohy/Jacobs 4-6, 7-5, 2-6

• #2 Doubles: Rice/Choo def. Mahatan/Hart, 7-5, 6-2

• #3 Doubles: Horton/Denuh def. Taylor/Kurta (injury default)