Jacks girls tennis kicks off 2023-24 athletic year at Pine City quad
Aug. 21—BEMIDJI — High school sports are back.
The Bemidji High School girls tennis team kicked off the 2023-24 athletic year with a 2-1 showing at the Pine City quadrangular on Monday. The Lumberjacks collected 5-2 wins over Litchfield and Mounds Park Academy.
"It was really exciting to get out on the courts today, and I was very happy with how the team competed," BHS head coach Kyle Fodness said. "We have a great mix of grade levels in the starting lineup, and that mixture of veteran leadership and incoming energy is paying dividends already."
Three Jacks notched varsity firsts. Bailey Rupp beat Maya Wuotila of Litchfield 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 singles. Lilly Caron defeated Emma Wuotila 6-3, 6-3, then knocked off Zoe Bosch of Mounds Park Academy 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles. Sarah Breyen also edged out Mounds Park Academy's Manhi Bhalla 7-5, 7-6 (9) at No. 4 singles.
"We have a lot of flexibility in the lineup this year, and a fun part of the season is going to be seeing how players improve in different areas to give us some different lineup options," Fodness said. "Bailey Rupp had the clinching win against Litchfield for her first varsity win, and Sarah Breyen and Lilly Caron had their first varsity singles wins to clinch the win against Mounds Park Academy."
Two girls won all three of their matches on Monday. Megan Berg and Ruby McKeon swept their opponents at No. 3 doubles, picking up the lone win in Bemidji's 6-1 loss against Pine City.
Madison Jensen and Elena Peterson went 2-1 in No. 1 doubles matches. Kendal Midboe and Samantha Wood beat Litchfield's Lydia Asmus and Brynn Nagel 7-5, 6-1.
Bemidji 5, Litchfield 2
Singles
No. 1: Dille (LHS) def. Eli. Peterson 6-0, 6-0
No. 2: Rupp (BHS) def. M. Wuotila 6-2, 6-4
No. 3: Caron (BHS) def. E. Wuotila 6-3, 6-3
No. 4: Ball (LHS) def. Karger 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1: Jensen/Ele. Peterson (BHS) def. Olson/Knudson 6-3, 7-5
No. 2: Midboe/Wood (BHS) def. Asmus/Nagel 7-5, 6-1
No. 3: Berg/McKeon (BHS) def. Patten/Bruning 6-3, 6-1
Bemidji 5, Mounds Park Academy 2
Singles
No. 1: Jain (MPA) def. Eli. Peterson 6-2, 6-0
No. 2: Mulrooney (MPA) def. Rupp 6-3, 6-3
No. 3: Caron (BHS) def. Bosch 6-4, 6-3
No. 4: Breyen (BHS) def. Bhalla 7-5, 7-9 (9)
Doubles
No. 1: Jensen/Ele. Peterson (BHS) def. Rahm/Berg 6-1, 6-1
No. 2: Midboe/Wood (BHS) def. Hubert/Kellerman 6-1, 6-1
No. 3: Berg/McKeon (BHS) def. Mosley/Avida 6-1, 6-1
Pine City 6, Bemidji 1
Singles
No. 1: Unverzagt (PC) def. Eli. Peterson 6-3, 6-2
No. 2: Boland (PC) def. Rupp 6-0, 6-0
No. 3: Roubinek (PC) def. Caron 6-4, 6-0
No. 4: Struss (PC) def. Karger 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1: Mikyska/Youngbauer (PC) def. Jensen/Ele. Peterson 6-2, 7-6 (1)
No. 2: Valvoda/Linnell (PC) def. Midboe/Wood 6-2, 6-1
No. 3: Berg/McKeon (BHS) def. Lahti/Tomczyk 6-0, 6-2
