Merrill netters second-best in pair of quads
The Bluejays tennis team built on its early solid start with a pair of 2-1 finishes in quad meets last week, before getting rained out of a potential quad win in Wis. Rapids on Monday.
Merrill toppled Ashland, 5-2, and Ironwood, Mich., 6-1, but fell 6-1 to host Rhinelander in Thursday’s Hodag Quad.
“Megan Smith at #3 singles did not lose a set all day,” MHS coach Janet Thompson said. “Megan made it look easy today! She adjusted to each of her opponents’ styles and played nearly flawless tennis.
“We had a strong showing against Ironwood, winning ten out of the twelve sets played.
“Annie DeBroux got her first win of the season at #1 singles against Ashland. She is a tough player who runs down every shot and has very long rallies. It was a well-deserved win. Rachel Bayer and Frances Moonen played their first match together at #3 doubles. They are normally singles players, but we wanted to see how they’d do at doubles. They were up for the challenge.”
Winning against Ironwood were Chloe Krahn (7-5, 6-4), Smith (6-1, 6-0), Sarah Lentz (6-1, 6-1), Morgan Wilde/Ashley Ollhoff (6-1, 6-4), Morgan Thompson/Kayla Sutton (6-3, 6-1) and Bayer/Hanna Cohrs (6-0, 6-0). DeBroux was defeated 6-3, 6-1.
Prevailing against Ashland were DeBroux (6-2, 6-4), Smith (6-0, 6-0), Ariel Hinz (6-3, 6-2), Wilde/Ollhoff (7-5, 6-1) and Bayer/Moonen (6-0, 6-1). Krahn was toppled 6-2, 6-4, and Thompson/Katie Purmal lost 6-3, 6-1.
Smith collected the only win versus Rhinelander, by a 6-4, 6-3 tally, and Thompson/Purmal were tipped 6-2, 4-6, (10-4). Other losses came from DeBroux (7-5, 6-2), Krahn (6-4, 6-0), Hinz (6-1, 6-2), Ollhoff/Wilde (6-2, 6-2), and Cohrs/Sutton (6-2, 6-1).
DeForest Quad
The host team was the best team in DeForest, too, last Tuesday. Merrill lost 5-2 to the Noskies, but defeated Racine Park and Sun Prairie by identical 5-2 scores with doubles sweeps and wins at #3 and #4 singles.
“The Bluejays played very well,” Thompsopn said. “We only lost one doubles match all day! Number one and two doubles were undefeated.
“Morgan Wilde and Ashley Ollhoff work so well as partners. Their deep cross-court shots were consistent all day. Morgan Thompson’s backhand is her weapon. We’re trying her with different girls to see who is the best complement.”
Versus Park, wins came from Moonen (6-1, 6-2), Lentz (6-1, 6-1), Wilde/Ollhoff (2-6, 6-3, [10-7]), Thompson/Cohrs (6-2, 6-3) and Purmal/Sutton (6-1, 6-3). Krahn lost 6-1, 6-2, and Hinz lost 6-1, 6-1.
In the Sun Prairie match, victory was turned in by Smith (7-5, 6-0), Hinz (7-5, 6-7, [10-3]), Ollhoff/Wilde (6-4, 6-1), Thompson/Sutton (7-6, 6-1) and Cohrs/Purmal (6-4, 6-4). DeBroux (6-1, 6-0) and Krahn (6-1, 6-1) took the defeats.
Wilde/Ollhoff (6-1, 6-2) and Purmal/Thompson (6-1, 6-2) pulled out wins against DeForest. Taking losses were DeBroux (6-0, 6-1), Moonen (6-1, 6-1), Smith (6-2, 6-0), Lentz (6-0, 6-1) and Sutton/Cohrs (6-4, 6-0).