Wins are hard to get in tough stretch of tennis schedule
MEDFORD GIRLS TENNIS
The Medford Raiders knew the odds weren’t in their favor for a team victory Tuesday against the favorites to win the Division 2 sectional title later this fall, but they made some Eau Claire Regis Ramblers sweat during a 7-0 non-conference loss on the MASH courts.
While Regis swept the four singles matches quite quickly, the Raiders doubles lineup, which has come into focus in the last week, nearly sent all three of those matches into a third set.
Medford’s new number-one doubles team consisting of seniors Sophie Brost and Lindsey Wildberg, who started the year in the top two singles spots, had an excellent showing against Evie Shepich and Teigan Petersilka, who won the match 6-3, 7-5. Shepich and Petersilka both played in last fall’s Division 2 state tournament, though on different doubles teams.
“We were up 5-2 in second set and had Sophie serving,” Medford head coach Jake Bucki said. “Regis hit some nice shots. This was just their sixth match together, all in less than a week. They played well against a high-caliber team.”
Senior Kelsey Jascor and sophomore Masaeda Krug have taken over the number- two spot. Abby Erickson and Caroline Shepich of Regis took the first set 6-2, but Jascor and Krug gave them all they wanted in the second set. The Raiders jumped ahead 3-1 and were one point away from going up 4-1, but the Ramblers battled back to take that game. Jascor and Krug later were up 6-5, but Erickson and Shepich won the next game and then won the tiebreaker 7-2 to take the set 7-6.
Juniors Eryka Seidl and Myah Smith had some momentum coming into Tuesday’s meet after a nice win against Altoona Saturday, but they struggled early against Regis’ Ava Smith and Olivia Schneider, who won the first set 6-1. Seidl and Smith got up 5-2, though, in the second set and still led 6-5 before the Ramblers won the next game to force a set tiebreaker, which they won 7-4.
With Brost and Wildberg moving to doubles, an all-junior singles lineup is now getting a chance to face some good competition and improve.
The competition they faced Tuesday was better than good.
At number-one, Brittany Martin, who Bucki predicted could be a seeded player at state in October, beat Medford’s Autumn Higgins 6-0, 6-1.
“Autumn was hitting with her,” Bucki said.
Sofie Merrick beat Raider Morgan Huegli 6-0, 6-0 in flight two, Colleen Callaghan defeated Makayla Motte 6-0, 6-0 in flight three and Ashley Chilson swept Raider Alyssa Brandner 6-0, 6-0 in flight four.
“All of the singles come back next year, so this year is a learning opportunity for them,” Bucki said.
Medford’s Christine Czeshinski was a winner in her JV match.
Tuesday’s match concluded a busy stretch of seven dual meets in seven days. The Raiders now sit at 2-9 overall as they dive into full-time Great Northern Conference play for the next two weeks. Today, Thursday, they’ll head to Wausau to face Newman Catholic. Stevens Point Pacelli is in Medford Sept. 9. Both meets start at 4:30 p.m.
1-3 at Altoona
The Raiders got four out of six scheduled dual meets played while dodging the rain and getting inside the Menards Tennis Center for parts of the two-day Altoona Invitational over the weekend.
The team’s lone win was a 7-0 sweep over Black River Falls on Saturday.
Higgins notched her first win in the number-one single spot, defeating Ellen Janke 6-4, 6-2.
“That was a good win for Autumn,” Bucki said. “It was a match she wouldn’t have won without playing the numberone matches she’d played in the last few meets.”
Huegli rolled past Gabi Bernardei Grassi 6-2, 6-1, Motte took care of Jorgi Rios 6-1, 6-1 and Alyssa Brandner downed Bella Rowen 6-0, 6-1.
Medford had little trouble in doubles. Brost and Wildberg defeated Mayla Engebretson and Hannah Lane 6-2, 6-2 in the flight-one matchup. Jascor and Krug were 6-0, 6-0 winners over Lauren Lund and Juliet Ayers, while Smith and Seidl swept Lily Olson and Lauren Slosser 6-0, 6-0.
Smith and Seidl picked up Medford’s lone win in a 6-1 loss to Altoona on Saturday. In a match of big momentum swings, the Raider juniors swept Katelyn Beltz and Sofia Bach 6-0 in the first set, got swept 6-0 in the second set and then controlled the third-set tiebreaker 10-3 to get the win. Beltz and Bach beat Smith and Schneider of Regis 6-4, 6-3 on Monday.
The Raiders weren’t as fortunate in three more close matches. Bella Bauer and Josie Rondestvedt edged Brost and Wildberg in a very competitive number- one doubles match 7-5, 7-6 (1). Greta Schlafer and Khalia Mork outlasted Krug and Jascor in three sets 6-2, 3-6, 10-8.
Keyliana Desantis came back after Huegli beat her 7-5 in the first set at number- two singles, beating the Raider junior in a second-set tiebreaker 7-6 (2) and in the third-set match tiebreaker 11-9.
Lidia Bach was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Higgins at number-one singles, Natalie Beltz swept Motte 6-0, 6-0 at number-three and Brandner was defeated in flight four.
On Friday, Medford fell 4-3 to Osceola and 5-2 to Eau Claire North.
Brost and Wildberg were 6-1, 6-2 winners at number-two doubles over Shaw Styles and Alexis See, while Kenya Mann and Chloe Werner took care of Shakira Wei and Samantha Mortenson 6-2, 6-2 in flight three. Czeshinski got a shot at number-four singles and beat Anna Willeman 3-6, 6-4, 10-6.
Jascor and Krug filled the one-spot in doubles and were defeated 6-4, 6-4 in a competitive match with Kathryn Marek and Rachel Olson. Hope Lowney downed Higgins 6-0, 6-3, Sophia LaVigne beat Huegli 6-1, 6-1 and Jordan Vetter was a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Motte.
The top two doubles teams earned wins in the meet with Eau Claire North.
Jascor and Krug won the flight-one match over Alyssa Dayton and Autumn Tafel in three sets 7-5, 2-6, 10-6. Brost and Wildberg avoided going to a third set by holding off Anna Welke and Gretel Elvig at number-two doubles 6-3, 7-6 (5). Olivia Feltes and Clare LaFave prevented Medford from sweeping the doubles matches by beating Seidl and Smith 6-2, 7-5.
The Huskies swept the singles matches. Morgan Presler beat Higgins 6-0, 6-1, Leah Nelson got by Huegli 6-2, 6-3, Kailey Bates won a good one with Motte 6-4, 7-6 (4) and Miah Nelson beat Brandner 6-0, 6-0.
Hodags 6, Raiders 1
With top singles players Brost and Wildberg moving to doubles for the first time, Jascor and Krug slipped down to the two-spot and earned Medford’s only win in a 6-1 GNC loss at Rhinelander Thursday. Jascor and Krug earned a straight-set 6-4, 6-3 win over Rhinelander Shayla Coppenger and Kylee Younker.
Smith and Seidl were involved in the meet’s only other close match. That came at number-three doubles where Rhinelander’s Kayla Tessman and Helena Wisner edged them 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Paige Oleinik and Taylor Riopel cruised past Brost and Wildberg in flight one 6-0, 6-1.
In singles, Annika Johnson swept Higgins 6-0, 6-0 in flight one, Kaylee Pontell beat Huegli at number-two 6-2, 6-2, Tori Riopel swept Makayla Motte 6-0, 6-0 at number-three and Kelsey Winter defeated Brandner at number-four 6-2, 6-1.
Medford fell to 0-3 in the Great Northern Conference. Rhinelander is off to a 2-0 start. Tennis
Lakeland 4, Medford 3
Medford got two three-set wins in singles play, but it wasn’t quite enough Aug. 25 in a 4-3 loss to Lakeland in the Raiders’ 2021 home opener.
Playing at number-two singles, Higgins regrouped after a tough first set and defeated Katie McMahon 1-6, 6-4, 6-0. Huegli had a similar outing in the fourth flight, rallying past Sophia Myschchyshyn 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Jascor and Krug were straight-set winners over Hailey Curtis and Phoebe Wirtz in the top doubles match 6-4, 6-3.
Lakeland’s Maria Gironella won a competitive battle at number-one singles with Wildberg 6-4, 6-4. Sarah Barton took down Mann at number-three 6-2, 6-2.
Sisters Julianna and Kristina Ouimette held off Seidl and Smith in the flight-two doubles match 6-1, 7-6 (3) and Malina Reynolds and Cassidy Cleveland downed Halopka and Werner in flight three 6-2, 6-3.
Raider Kelsey Jascor watches her serve fly over the net during number-one doubles play Aug. 25 against Lakeland.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS
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