TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Merrill Bluejay Girls Tennis Team took to the courts to start off their season in August.
Antigo triangular
Most recently, the girls started out their day at the Antigo triangular on August 23 by beating Wisconsin Rapids 4-3.
In singles matches, Angela Hinner lost to Teagann Bondioli 6-1, 6-1; Lauren Belsky lost to Abbey Gust 4-6, 6-3, 6-1; Lauren Cohrs beat Hayley Jensen 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; and Sarah Rell won by walkover.
In doubles, the teams of Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat beat Sawyer Holdberg 6-4, 6-0; Lydia Burrows/Courtney Schneider lost to Alle Mora/Aleigh Weight 6-2, 6-4; and Mariah Jacoby/Lacey Frisch beat Sierra Dillingham/Olivia Oleson 6-2, 6-2.
Merrill then lost to Antigo 7-0
Singles matches: Angela Hinner lost to Margo Kelly 6-1, 6-1; Lauren Belsky lost to Brecklyn Flannery 6-2, 6-2; Lauren Cohrs lost to Sierra Oelke 6-2, 6-3; and Sarah Rell lost to Makayla Roberts 6-0, 7-5.
Doubles matches: Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat lost to Ellie Packard/Faith Bussiere 6-1, 6-2; Lydia Burrows/Mariah Jacoby lost to Bailee Vandersanden/Molly Neufeld 6-1, 6-2; and Lacey Frisch/Anika Bartz lost to Anna Evans/Claire Musolff 6-2, 7-6(9).
“This was both Sarah Rell and Anika Bartz’s first Varsity match,” said Head Tennis Coach Brad Barton. “They both played extremely well. Sarah stormed back after a 6-0 first set loss to play a 7-5 second set loss. Anika handled the nerves of a second set 11-9 tiebreak loss very well.”
“Lacey Frisch had played only singles coming into this meet and looked very well in doubles action today, especially with Anika Bartz,” Coach Barton said. “I also want to point out how well both Lauren Belsky and Lauren Cohrs played today. They are both playing big roles this year. Lauren Belsky was on JV last year and as a Sophomore moved up to #2 singles. Lauren Cohrs played Varsity doubles last year and has made a huge sacrifice for the team playing singles this year. She still wants to play doubles but realizes the best thing for the team is to play singles.”
Two -day Warrior invite
On August 16, the first day of the two-day invite, Wausau West beat Merrill 7-0.
In singles matches, Angela Hinner lost to Mia Bailey 6-1, 6-0; Lauren Belsky lost to Lexi Kluth 6-0, 6-0; Lauren Cohrs lost to Quin Babiarz 6-0, 6-1; and Lacey Frisch lost to Ruby Edmundson 6-0, 6-0.
The doubles matches were also a tough loss, with the teams of Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat losing to Katie Meyer/Anika Eder 6-0, 6-3; Lydia Burrows/Courtney Schneider losing to Ashley Zoborowski/Mollie Lemke 6-0, 6-0; and Mariah Jacoby/Chloe Belant losing to Lily Wittwer/Miranda Nelson 6-3, 6-2.
“Wausau West continues to be the cream of the crop this year,” Coach Barton said. “Merrill’s #1 singles player, Angela Hinner, played well against one of the best players in the state in Mia Bailey.”
Later that day, Merrill beat DC Everest 5-2.
The girls took away a win in half of the singles matches. Angela Hinner beat Nya Harrington 7-6 (1), 6-2; Lauren Belsky lost to Kyra Looman 4-6, 6-3, 10-7; Lauren Cohrs beat Ava Kumar 6-3, 6-2; and Lacey Frisch lost to Nina Allen 6-3, 6-2.
“Angela Hinner had an impressive match against DC Everest’s top player,” Coach Barton said. “Lauren Belsky is playing very well, as she was on Junior Varsity last year and now playing #2 singles.”
The Bluejays had a clean sweep in the doubles matches, with the teams of Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat beating Maddie Sazama/Makenna Kampman; Lydia Burrows/Courtney Schneider beating Maddy Bublik/Lola Harrington 6-1, 6-2; and Mariah Jacoby/Chloe Belant beating Morgan Hahn/Annika Nye 6-4, 6-3.
In the final matches of the day, Altoona beat Merrill 6-1.
The singles matches ended with Angela Hinner losing to Josie Rechek 6-0, 6-0; Lauren Belsky losing to Lidia Bach 6-0, 6-1; Lauren Cohrs beating Keyliana DeSantis 6-1, 6-3; and Lacey Frisch losing to Natalie Beltz 6-0, 6-2.
“Lauren Cohrs continued her impressive day going 2-1 on the day,” Coach Barton said.
The doubles matches were a battle, and in the end, the team of Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat lost to Bella Bauer/Josie Kondesvedt 6-7(4), 5-7; Lydia Burrows/Courtney Schneider lost to Khalia Mork/Jackie Halverson 6-2, 6-2; and Mariah Jacoby/Chloe Belant lost to Sofia Bach/Katelyn Beltz 6-2, 6-2.
“Amelia Skoviera and Tessa Wheat really played well against a tough Altoona team,” Coach Barton said. “Lydia Burrows and Courtney Schneider are developing into a tough team.”
On August 17, day two of the Warrior invite started out with Rhinelander beating Merrill 6-1.
The singles matches were tough, and the girls lost all four. Angela Hinner lost to Annika Johnson 6-1, 6-0; Lauren Belsky lost to Kaylee Pontell 6-0, 6-0; Lauren Cohrs lost to Tori Riopel 6-0, 6-0; and Lacey Frisch lost to Kelsey Winter 6-3, 6-1.
The first doubles team, Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat beat Paige Olenik/Taylor Riopel 6-4, 6-2, while the teams of Lydia Burrows/Courtney Schneider lost to Kylee Younker/Shayla Coppenger 6-3, 6-2 and Mariah Jacoby/Chloe Belant also lost to Kayla Tessman/Helena Wisner 6-3, 6-2.
“Rhinelander had their top players playing singles,” Coach Barton noted. “Annika Johnson [for Rhinelander] is a player capable of getting to State.”
In the last round of the Warrior invite, Wausau Newman beat Merrill 4-3.
The singles matches were another tough round, with Merrill losing all four: Angela Hinner lost to Becky Larrain 6-1, 6-0; Lauren Belsky lost to Ava Sukeenen 6-0, 6-0; Lauren Cohrs lost to Natalie Townsend 6-0, 6-0; and Lacey Frisch lost to Reagan Herdrich 6-0, 6-0.
The doubles matches were a positive end to the two days, with Merrill winning all three. The team of Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat beat Destiny Lo/Elizabeth Planey 6-3, 6-4; the team of Lydia Burrows/Courtney Schneider beat Ada Stenstrom/Calli Oroth 6-4, 1-6, 10-7; and the team of Mariah Jacoby/Chloe Belant beat Olivia Fox/Naomi Stenstrom 6-3, 6-0.
“Wausau Newman’s #1 singles player Becky Larrain is one of the top players in the state,” Coach Barton said. “Angela Hinner put up a valiant effort against her.”
“Merrill’s doubles teams were all victorious,” he said. “Amelia Skoviera/Tessa Wheat went 2-0 on the day and 3-2 overall on the 2-day meet. Lauren Cohrs went 2-3. Newman had their top players playing singles.”
“Overall, our team attitude was very good,” Coach added. “so I feel confident in our team’s direction this year.”