Park City’s girls tennis team was reeling from a 4-1 drubbing against Highland on Tuesday, so a win against Olympus on Wednesday was needed in order to keep spirits on the team high in the early goings of the season. A 4-1 start to the schedule would feel a lot better than sitting at 3-2.

The Miners dropped two of the three singles points, but thanks to victories from both doubles teams, they successfully defended their home court by a score of 3-2.

“They did what they needed to do and that’s all I can ask of them,” Park City coach Lani Wilcox said. “It was big because if it would have been two (losses) in a row, I think mentally the girls would have had a really hard time.”

The first court featured the longest and tightest match of the day — the first singles match between Park City junior Elle Martin and Olympus’ Elisabeth Carter. Martin dominated the first set 6-1, but her play fell off after that.

She fell behind 4-2 in the second set but rallied for three straight wins to take a 5-4 lead. Carter responded by taking the next two games, only for Martin to force a tiebreaker. Martin was flat in the tiebreaker, and Carter won 7-3 to take the set.

The two alternated game victories for the first eight games of the third set, and neither player broke the other’s serve until Carter finally did it to take a 5-4 lead. She also won the next two to win the match 1-6, 7-6, 6-4. The three-set marathon took three hours to play.

“I’m disappointed myself, but I’m glad the team pulled it off,” Martin said. “Luckily, we have matches twice a week, so I have time to redeem myself and just get going again and there’s always going to be another match.”

Fortunately for Park City, its doubles teams went to work against the Titans. Seniors Lauren Allen and Daniella Santos have been playing together for four years, and their experience showed. The duo won 6-2, 6-3 for Park City’s first doubles point.

“To me, chemistry is just as important as their games being compatible because if you don’t get along or nobody talks to each other … I still need to work on those two talking together, but they’re getting there,” Wilcox said.

The Miners’ second doubles pair of junior Aly Inglish and senior Mayme Hansen had been their sole bright spot in the blowout loss to Highland the day prior, and they came up clutch again on Wednesday. They needed three sets to do it, but they emerged with a vital point for Park City.

After Martin and junior Olivia Tarmina dropped their singles matches, they needed a win from sophomore Reagan Harrison in third singles. A day after playing poorly against Highland, Harrison responded with a pivotal 6-4, 6-2 win to help secure the overall victory for Park City.

“There was this one quote this kid said — she couldn’t hit the water if she jumped out of the boat — that’s basically how she was playing yesterday,” Wilcox said. “And to come out today and play really well, I mean literally, if you were to watch yesterday and watch her today you would have thought (they were) two different players.”