Panthers Claw Past Bison in 4-1 League Win as Season Nears Close

The Insider
Apr 30
2 min read

On a brisk Tuesday afternoon with overcast skies and a cool breeze sweeping across the courts, the Bonney Lake Panthers showed they weren’t fazed by the chill. In a late-season league showdown against the Bethel Bison, both teams came in hungry—Panthers with three wins on the season, Bison with two—and what unfolded was a gritty match full of hustle, teamwork, and standout performances. When the final ball dropped, Bonney Lake emerged victorious with a convincing 4-1 team win.

Senior Olivia Laron, as consistent as ever, set the tone in the #1 singles spot. A dominant force all season, Laron wasted no time on Tuesday, powering through her opponent with precision and pace. She dropped just one game en route to a 6-1, 6-0 win and was off the court almost before warm-ups on the adjacent matches had wrapped.

In the #2 singles spot, sophomore Sierra Roper showed plenty of fight. After a tough 2-6 first set, she roared back early in the second, storming to a 3-0 lead. But her Bison opponent found a rhythm and clawed back to steal the set and match, 6-2, 7-5.

The doubles courts, though, were where the Panthers really flexed their depth.

Senior Lina Wichmann and Alice Guo, a reliable duo in the #1 doubles spot, stayed locked in from the first serve. Their combination of power and finesse kept their opponents scrambling, as they cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 victory.

A fresh pairing in the #2 doubles slot—Kyra Fuertes Gonzalez and Kyla Twohy—played like seasoned vets. After a confident 6-3 first set win, they found themselves in trouble, trailing 1-4 in the second. But the Panthers roared back, pushing the set to a tiebreaker and edging out the Bison 7-6, sealing the match in a thrilling comeback.

Capping off the afternoon, the #3 doubles team of Tessa Rice and Lily Jacobs put together the most dominant win of the day. In a performance that had the crowd cheering with every smash and net winner, they blanked their Bison opponents 6-0, 6-0—adding a cherry on top of Bonney Lake’s fourth team win of the season.

With momentum building and just one match left on the calendar, the Panthers now turn their focus to Senior Night this Thursday—the final home match of the year. Come out and support the team as they close out their season in style!