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Victoria McCord and her No. 3 doubles partner Emily Brown rallied from a 5-2 deficit to pick up the lone match win for the Nebraska City girls’ tennis team in an 8-1 dual loss to Wilber Clatonia on the Steinhart Park courts Tuesday.

McCord and Brown rallied to within one game at 7-6, fended off a match point, and picked up three straight games on the way to a 9-7 final score.

“That was great to see them get the win for the team,” Heckman said.

Coach Heckman said the difference in the match came down to the confidence and communication acumen the team gained as the match progressed.

Tuesday’s match was the first time McCord and Brown have worked as a doubles tandem.

Looking at the singles’ scores from No. 1 to No. 6, the results were Lena Linke, 8-1 loss; Katie Curtis, 8-4 loss; McCord, 8-4 loss; Lucy Windle, 8-1 loss; Briyi Valquier, 8-3 loss; and Raquel Ojeda, 8-2 loss.

Curtis and Ritchie teamed for an 8-4 loss at No. 1 doubles and Valquier and Windle teamed for an 8-5 loss.

Coach Heckman pointed to the singles matches of Curtis and McCord along with the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches as being competitive, particularly early on.

The Pioneers are now looking to take the next step beyond being competitive.

Opponents of Nebraska City players have focused on extending points and are being rewarded by Nebraska City’s unforced errors.

In order to avoid that situation, Coach Heckman said his players must develop a more aggressive attitude and aim for shooting winners instead of keeping the ball in play.

“We have a tendency to want to play it safe and that works to our detriment,” he said.

Looking ahead on the schedule, Nebraska City was set to host a tourney Friday morning, weather permitting.

The team will travel to the Nebraska Tennis Center in Lincoln Monday for the inaugural Eastern Midlands Conference tournament.

The event, a six-team round robin tourney, will feature teams from Norris, Elkhorn, Gretna, Waverly, and Blair. Plattsmouth and Platteview do not have girls’ tennis programs.