Bulldogs Avenge Lone Loss, Win Both Matches at Rolla Tri

RoMoAthletics
Apr 26
3 min read

Senior Connor Johnson with two big wins. (Photo courtesy of Chrissy Clardy Photography)

April 23rd, 2026

The Rolla Bulldogs had one blemish on their 16-1 record heading into Thursday’s home tri-match against Lebanon and Farmington. That lone loss was to Lebanon. The Bulldogs were intent on avenging that loss and help with their district seeding as the two teams are vying for the top seed in the district.

The Bulldogs responded, pulling out a 5-4 win and finishing the day with an 18-1 record.

The Bulldogs Survive the Yellowjackets

The last time the Bulldogs and the Yellowjackets squared off was in the Championship of the Camdenton-Lebanon Tournament where the Bulldogs struggled after a long rain delay and fell 2-7.

Coach Josh Vinyard said that they were able to spend time in practice since the first meeting working on areas of weaknesses in the squad that Lebanon had exposed. “We were pretty dialed in and carried that over to Thursday.”

Doubles vs. Lebanon

The Dubs #1 of Keaton Renaud and Kyle Robinson had an early lead but came up a bit short. Despite the loss, the pair were able to compete and showed improvement. Coach Vinyard said they continue to assess and will be prepared for a potential showdown at districts.

Dubs #2 of Cam Brown and Paxton Ledbetter continued their strong play. Their focus this season has been on improving their first serve attack and as a result, you can see the growing confidence in attacking 2nd serves and their approach shots.

Dubs #3 of Connor Johnson and Jack Greenway bounced back from an earlier loss and closed out a good match. They were able to limit unforced errors and that was the difference this time around.

Singles vs. Lebanon

In Singles 3, Cam Brown jumped out to a fast start, leading 4-1. It turned into a dogfight as they battled back and forth. Setting at 7-6 and being up 40-15, his opponent made a final surge, getting to deuce before Brown locked in and finished the match giving him a quality win.

At Singles 4 Ledbetter continues to grow his game and dominate at singles 4.

Connor Johnson had a big day at Singles 5 as he found himself down 1-5 and battled back to take the next 7 games to win 8-5.

Johnson impressed Vinyard with his grit. “He just battled and worked hard for every point. Early he wasn't executing his strategy well but his mental game was really strong and he didn't panic. He just executed better.”

Lebanon drops to 13-5 on the season.

Rolla defeats Farmington 8-1

The Farmington team had talent but they didn’t have 5 seniors on their squad. “They are a really talented team but our experience was a big difference maker,” said Vinyard. “In those tough points in this match, we handled them well and were able to get separation.”

Sophomore Kyle Robinson has played well all season, but playing in the #2 spot, has come up short in the win-loss category. Vineyard was excited to see him get back in the win column with a good win against their #2 in singles.

Junior Logan Dunn caught Coach Vinyard's eye with his performance in the two matches. “ Logan played well at #6 singles and showed some grit after falling to Lebanon's #6 in his previous singles match.”

Farmington is now 8-6 on the season.