Slater, Los finish third at state

Photo submitted
The Siloam Springs doubles team of Eve Slater, left, and Olha Los finished third overall Tuesday at the Class 5A state tennis tournament at Hot Springs Lakeside.
Photo submitted The Siloam Springs doubles team of Eve Slater, left, and Olha Los finished third overall Tuesday at the Class 5A state tennis tournament at Hot Springs Lakeside.

The Siloam Springs doubles tennis team of senior Eve Slater and sophomore Olha Los finished third overall Tuesday at the Class 5A state tennis tournament at Hot Springs Lakeside.

"Eve and Olha have had a great run," said Siloam Springs tennis coach Scott Wright. "They have improved so much over the past two years and they have left a great legacy for the program."

Slater and Los, who were 5A-West Conference champions in 2019 and conference runner-up in 2020, were defeated in the 5A semifinals by eventual state champions Lauren Guadamuz and Peyton Mullins of Jonesboro in three sets.

Slater and Los won the first set 6-3, but lost the second set 6-2 and the third and deciding set 6-3.

Slater and Los went on to win the third place game, defeating Van Buren's team of Erica Jones and Abby Saniseng 8-2.

Slater and Los defeated their opening round opponent, Kelley Pedersen and Kora Wilson of Marion 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals on Monday.

In the quarterfinals, the Siloam Springs duo defeated Little Rock Christian's team of Sarah Kathryn Hankins and Kendall Christian 6-0, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals.

Jonesboro won both the boys and girls championships, sweeping the individual fields as well.

The girls doubles team of Guadamuz and Mullins defeated West Memphis' Samantha Holt and Taylor Brossett 6-2, 6-1 in the finals.

Jonesboro's Jenna Payne defeated Little Rock Parkview's Emmory Simmons 6-1, 6-2 to win the singles title.

Jonesboro's Joseph Patton -- who defeated Siloam Springs' Lucas Junkermann 6-1, 6-1 in the opening round of the 5A boys singles tournament -- went on to win the boys singles championship, defeating Ben Hollis of Lakeside 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Jonesboro's boys doubles team of Ethan Richardson and Carson Fowler won the doubles title 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 over fellow JHS teammates Ryan Rouse and Win Gibson.