While winning only one of six games so far, the girls are fighting back
BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Merrill played host to a Varsity Girls Tennis Triangular on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023, with teams from Wisconsin Rapids and Antigo.
Playing against, Wisconsin Rapids, Merrill came away with a loss, but “Kaytlyn Hulke looked real good today,” Merrill Girls Varsity Head Tennis Coach Brad Barton said. “She hit a lot of deep, heavy ground strokes today. She has also improved her quickness this year.”
Singles:
No. 1-Hayley Jensen, Wisconsin Rapids def. Lauren Belsky, Merrill, 6-1, 6-1, -;
No. 2-Sydney Holberg, Wisconsin Rapids def. Emily Frahm, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 3-Chloe Trzebiatowski, Wisconsin Rapids def. Kaytlyn Hulke, Merrill, 6-4, 6-0, -;
No. 4-Aleigh Weight, Wisconsin Rapids def. Johanna Dahlke, Merrill, 6-1, 6-1, -;
Doubles:
No. 1-Teagann Bondioli, Wisconsin Rapids-Abbey Gust, Wisconsin Rapids def. Chloe Belant, Merrill-Sarah Rell, Merrill, 6-0, 6-1, -;
No. 2-Jenna Wentland, Wisconsin Rapids-Julia Krueger, Wisconsin Rapids def. Jenna Malluege, Merrill-Korina Kraegenbrink, Merrill, 6-0, 6-2, -;
No. 3-Annabelle Ross, Wisconsin Rapids-Sierra Dillingham, Wisconsin Rapids def. Parker Wagenaar, Merrill-Maycie Zastrow, Merrill, 6-2, 6-0, -;
Box Score:
Wisconsin Rapids 7 @ Merrill 0
Taking on Antigo, Merrill fared a bit better but Antigo still took home the win. However, “Emily Frahm put together her best singles match of the year,” Barton said. “She lost her first set but fought back to win the second set. She won the third set tiebreaker 10-7.”
“Lauren Belsky drew Antigo’s top player,” he said. And “Chloe Belant and Sarah Rell got their first win of the year.”
“Parker Wagenaar and Maycie Zastrow started their match well but eventually fell 6-3, 6-2,” Barton said.
Singles:
No. 1-Molly Neufeld, Antigo def. Lauren Belsky, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 2-Emily Frahm, Merrill def. Jacqueline Belling, Antigo, 3-6, 6-4, 10-7 ;
No. 3-Hailey Burhop, Antigo def. Kaytlyn Hulke, Merrill, 6-3, 6-2, -;
No. 4-Julia Volpentesta, Antigo def. Johanna Dahlke, Merrill, 6-0, 6-1, -;
Doubles:
No. 1-Chloe Belant, Merrill-Sarah Rell, Merrill def. Anna Vandeweerd, Antigo-Amanda Waite, Antigo, 6-1, 6-3, -;
No. 2-Evie Trabant-mckenna, Antigo-Anna Heuss, Antigo def. Korina Kraegenbrink, Merrill-Jenna Malluege, Merrill, 6-2, 6-2, -;
No. 3-Harmony Kannenberg, Antigo-Maddy Ratliff, Antigo def. Parker Wagenaar, Merrill-Maycie Zastrow, Merrill, 6-3, 6-2, -;
Box Score:
Antigo 5 @ Merrill 2
The Merrill Girls Varsity Tennis team traveled to Rhinelander on Aug. 19 for a full day of tennis against teams from around the area.
Up against Rhinelander, “Merrill’s number one doubles team of Emily Frahm/Chloe Belant brought the heat this round,” Barton said. “I did not expect a doubles team for Merrill to play this good until the end of the season, but Emily and Chloe clicked right from the start.”
“Emily’s heavy top-spin ground strokes from the baseline were awesome to watch,” he said. “She clearly gets doubles play.”
“Chloe gelled well with Emily,” Barton said. “Chloe had very good volleys at the net and also good groundstrokes. Hats off, Emily and Chloe. Well done!”
Singles:
No. 1-Tori Riopel, Rhinelander def. Lauren Belsky, Merrill, 6-1, 6-1, -;
No. 2-Dawsyn Barkus, Rhinelander def. Kaytlyn Hulke, Merrill, 6-1, 6-0, -;
No. 3-Shayla Coppenger, Rhinelander def. Rose Dornbrack, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 4-Maya Patrick, Rhinelander def. Johanna Dahlke, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
Doubles:
No. 1-Kayla Tessman, Rhinelander-Karmen Lopez, Rhinelander def. Emily Frahm, Merrill-Chloe Belant, Merrill, 6-3, 6-4, -;
No. 2-Evelyn Sawyer, Rhinelander-Brooke Sisel, Rhinelander def. Jenna Malluege, Merrill-Korina Kraegenbrink, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 3-Teagan Turcotte, Rhinelander-Maddie Legrey, Rhinelander def. Parker Wagenaar, Merrill-Maycie Zastrow, Merrill, 6-0, 6-3, -;
Box Score:
Rhinelander 7 @ Merrill 0
Competition against Luther L. Wright High School was intense and successful.
“This was Merrill’s first win this year,” Barton said. “Even though Lauren Belsky lost her match, she played her best match of the year [so far].”
“She makes very few errors,” he said. “She keeps her opponent on defense a lot of the time by hitting deep groundstrokes back to her opponent.”
Singles:
No. 1-Jacinta Lauzon, Luther L Wright def. Lauren Belsky, Merrill, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 10-6 ;
No. 2-Kaytlyn Hulke, Merrill def. Breanna Freeman, Luther L Wright, 6-1, 6-1, -;
No. 3-Rose Dornbrack, Merrill def. Alexis Carland, Luther L Wright, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 4-Johanna Dahlke, Merrill def. Sophia Paul, Luther L Wright, 6-0, 6-0, -;
Doubles:
No. 1-Gio Lauzon, Luther L Wright-Sarah Lauzon, Luther L Wright def. Emily Frahm, Merrill-Chloe Belant, Merrill, 7-5, 6-2, -;
No. 2-Jenna Malluege, Merrill-Korina Kraegenbrink, Merrill def. Lily Nolan-Couillard, Luther L Wright-Hailey Johnson, Luther L Wright, 7-6 (5), 7-5, -;
No. 3-Jaiden Demaray, Luther L Wright-Emily Kane, Luther L Wright def. Parker Wagenaar, Merrill-Maycie Zastrow, Merrill, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 10-3 ;
Box Score:
Merrill 4 @ Luther L Wright 3
“Ashland was Merrill’s last team to play,” Barton said. “The meet was played from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. The girls were exhausted by the end of this round.”
“Thank goodness the shade moved in on the courts by this round.”
“Lauren Belsky showed true grit in this one,” he said. “She did not feel the best but she wanted to play, and she played very well.”
“Emily Frahm and Chloe Belant drew Ashland’s best players at number one doubles. They played three very good matches today,” Barton said.
“Korina Kraegenbrink and Jenna Malluege played well all day, too.”
“Everyone has improved this year,” he said. “I would also like to mention Rose Dornbrack. No matter how hard her opponent hits the ball back at her, she can pick it up and return it back with a good shot.”
The Lady Jays played hard but Ashland ultimately edged them out for the win.
Singles:
No. 1-Lauren Belsky, Merrill def. Lily Kovach-Erickson, Ashland, 6-1, 6-0, -;
No. 2-Lainey Westlund, Ashland def. Kaytlyn Hulke, Merrill, 6-1, 6-2, -;
No. 3-Jojo Burke, Ashland def. Rose Dornbrack, Merrill, 7-5, 6-3, -;
No. 4-Hallyana Gohr, Ashland def. Johanna Dahlke, Merrill, 6-1, 6-0, -;
Doubles:
No. 1-Mikayla Bigo, Ashland-Ali Vittone, Ashland def. Emily Frahm, Merrill-Chloe Belant, Merrill, 6-3, 7-5, -;
No. 2-Jenna Malluege, Merrill-Korina Kraegenbrink, Merrill def. Hannah Houck, Ashland-Ellie Grahek, Ashland, 7-5, 6-2, -;
No. 3-Parker Wagenaar, Merrill-Maycie Zastrow, Merrill def. forfeit 2 forfeit, Ashland-forfeit forfeit, Ashland, 6-2, 6-2, -;
Box Score:
Merrill 3 @ Ashland 4
On Aug. 17, 2023, the Merrill Girls Varsity Tennis Team played their first official match of the season, taking on Lakeland on their home courts. However, this was a tough team to open against and set the bar high for the season. Though Merrill lost to Lakeland, it let the ladies know what they were up against and reminded them they need to bring their best whenever they step out on the courts.
“Lakeland was as good as they were last year,” Barton said. “As a team we made too many errors that we normally do not make. We had really good shots from everyone tonight but the errors did us in the end.”
“Lauren Belsky looked good for her first match of the year at number one singles,” he said.
“I want to mention Addison Pickard and Claire Hintz also,” Barton said. “They played JV1 doubles, and they were as impressive as the Varsity team tonight. They lost 8-5 in an 8 game pro-set.”
Singles:
No. 1-Sarah Barton, Lakeland def. Lauren Belsky, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 2-Norah Strassburg, Lakeland def. Kaytlyn Hulke, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 3-Elise Lamers, Lakeland def. Rose Dornbrack, Merrill, 6-1, 6-0, -;
No. 4-Sam Bridgewater, Lakeland def. Johanna Dahlke, Merrill, 6-0, 6-1, -;
Doubles:
No. 1-Savannah Barton, Lakeland-Kristina Ouimette, Lakeland def. Chloe Belant, Merrill-Emily Frahm, Merrill, 6-1, 6-0, -;
No. 2-Charley Cleveland, Lakeland-Ali Timmerman, Lakeland def. Korina Kraegenbrink, Merrill-Jenna Malluege, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
No. 3-Alyssa Erickson, Lakeland-Lila Biller, Lakeland def. Parker Wagenaar, Merrill-Maycie Zastrow, Merrill, 6-0, 6-0, -;
Box Score:
Lakeland 7 @ Merrill 0