Possible Clues:

• Nearly beaten? Winning, confining the girl to quarters
• In a hopeless position
• No-hoper set out here
• The harried mountain climber was ___
• Facing defeat
• Facing trouble
• In a defenceless position, like one cornered by boxer?
• Staggering
• One sport he worked on, nearing defeat
• Those prone, reeling and near defeat