Monday was Lawrence High sophomore Abby Gillam’s 16th birthday, so tennis coach Steve Hudson let her leave her team’s quad on Monday night a little early. Gillam got the HP laptop she wanted and couldn’t wait to use it.

Junior Taylor Eubanks had to run over to cheerleading practice, so Hudson excused her, too.

Hudson didn’t excuse his No. 2 doubles team, junior Nikki Carmody and freshman Haley Ryan, because he couldn’t. They were still battling in a match well after the second-to-last match had finished and well after the sun set.

Though Carmody and Ryan lost, 8-7 (7-3), to Kelci Weber and Kristy Johnson of Blue Valley West in the final match of Monday’s quad, Hudson came away pleased they persevered through nearly four hours of tennis. Hudson said three matches isn’t all that many, but the hot weather in the afternoon definitely took a toll on his players.

“Basically you have to be a good liar to yourself,” Hudson said. “You have to convince yourself that you have to keep going.”

The Lions finished last in the team standings, but Hudson lauded the doubles play of Eubanks and senior Morgan Manger. They won both of the matches they played together.

Manger also won a No. 2 singles match against Blue Valley West’s Jessica Steddom. She played in all three matches Lawrence won.

Hudson said the chemistry issues that plagued Manger and Eubanks as partners last week already were behind them.

“They’re both having more fun together,” Hudson said. “They are finding their strengths and weaknesses and using those things.”

Manger is a baseline player with steady groundstrokes, while Eubanks has a powerful serve and finishing ability around the net. Eubanks displayed her serving prowess with an ace to defeat Shawnee Mission West’s No. 1 doubles team in a tiebreaker.

Gillam told Hudson she enjoyed playing doubles more than singles.

“It’s just kind of a mental issue,” Gillam said.

But that sort of confused Hudson.

“Usually girls like to play singles better,” Hudson said. “Doubles can be less pressure I suppose, but singles is pretty great because when you do well, you feel really good about yourself. Doubles is like a miniature party on the court because you have a partner and that sounds more fun.”

Shawnee Mission Northwest won the quad, winning 10 out of 12 matches. Blue Valley West took second with seven, and Shawnee Mission West finished third with four.

Lawrence will return to action at 3:30 p.m. today at Shawnee Mission East.