FULTON -- Fulton boys tennis fell to Hannibal 0-9 for the past three years, but Tuesday showed growth as a team at Fulton's tennis courts.
In their season opener, the Hornets lost 1-8 to the Pirates, a North Central Missouri Conference opponent. As a result, Fulton dropped to 0-1 overall and in the NCMC, and Hannibal improved to 1-0 overall and in the NCMC.
Louis Chuang won Fulton's first match this season, beating Hannibal's Kyrie Wilkerson 10-4 in the No. 4 singles.
Outside of that singles match, the Hornets' Beau Edwards lost 3-10 to the Pirates' Zane Lomax in the one slot, Andrew Holmes 3-10 to Jace Lee in the two, Noah Cerneka 6-10 to Kevin Westhoff in the three, Chase Smith 5-10 to Kenson Roth in the five and Aiden Barnes 1-10 to Brayden Hill in the six.
Following singles play, Fulton's Edwards and Holmes dropped a 1-10 decision to Lomax and Lee in the No. 1 doubles, Cerneka and Chuang 5-10 to Westhoff and Wilkerson in the No. 2 and Smith and Barnes 4-10 to Roth and Hill in the No. 3.
"We still fell short 1-8, but I am happy with how the program is showing improvement, and I am optimistic for future matches," Fulton Hornet Boys Tennis posted on X. "Congrats to Louis for winning the first match of the year."
The Hornets will face another NCMC opponent, this time on the road, when they face Kirksville (0-0) at 4 p.m. Thursday at Kirksville High School. As it did against Hannibal, Fulton will look to avoid a fourth straight 0-9 defeat to the Tigers.