Polson girls improve to 6-0

Mike Cast

POLSON — The Polson tennis team keeps getting better, the girls expanding their win streak to 6-0 and the boys taking a couple from Libby and Stevensville.

Leading the way for the boys in a narrow 4-3 win over Libby was Polson junior Matt Roberts at the No. 1 singles position.

It didn’t come easy, facing a tough opponent in Libby’s Alex Cisco. Roberts took the first set 6-3 but gave up the next one 5-7. When push came to shove, Roberts got the job done, taking the final set 6-4.

“In that third set, I just went out there thinking, ‘alright, I’ve gotta win this one,’” Roberts said. “I’m glad I won.”

The win started the Pirates on a path to win the meet, but it wouldn’t have happened without a landslide win by Polson junior Shad Giles who took a two-set win at the No. 2 spot.

“Shad played one of the best matches of his high school career at No. 2 singles,” Polson head coach Bob Hislop said.

Giles snagged the win 6-2, 6-0.

Against Stevensville, Polson took control with wins at all top three singles spots.

Seniors Tyler Engebretson and Kyle Cooper, and sophomore Justin Evertz all won in two sets to lead their team to a 5-2 win in the meet.

The boys also lost two narrow meets 4-3 to Hamilton and 4-3 to Bigfork over the weekend.  

On the girls end, it was all success. It started against Bigfork on Friday. At the top singles slot, Polson junior Jane Probst got the job done and her teammates held up their end of the bargain in the doubles matches.

All three doubles pairs took wins in two sets to complete a 4-3 win in the meet.

Against Stevensville, lineup changes saw sophomore Kendyall Rochin at the top singles position. Kendyall, who has been playing at the No. 1 doubles spot with sister junior Kayla Rochin, came from behind and won a tiebreaker before smashing her opponent 6-0 in the final set.

It took almost two hours to complete the hard earned win.

Heather Mathison also won a singles match for the Lady Pirates. At doubles, all three pairs won with flawless 6-0, 6-0 matches with Probst playing at the top spot with Kayla.

Against Hamilton, Probst was back to singles, and came from behind to beat Mary Conwell.

“It was a great win because it was her fourth match in two days and she didn’t have her ‘A’ game, but found a way to win against a great opponent,” Hislop said.

In the last meet, Polson downed Libby 5-2, the only losses at the top two singles positions where Probst and Sara Phillips-Keeble fell to Libby’s best.

Polson plays at 3 p.m. today at Libby. The boys host Columbia Falls at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and the girls play at Columbia Falls.

Boys

Bigfork 4, Polson 3

Singles - Scott Taylor, B, def. Matt Roberts, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Sean Barrett, B, def. Shad Giles, 6-3, 6-3; Seth Hovenkotter, P, def. Ryan Gembala, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); Evan Jordt, B, def. Andrew Storro, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles - Tyler Engebretson/Kyle Cooper, P, won by forfeit; Christian McCurdy/Justin Evertz, P, def. Cole Francisco/Nate Robertson, 6-0, 6-2; John Lyon/Dylan Rickenbach, B, def. Sam Peel/Nation Garza, 6-2, 6-2.

Polson 5, Stevensville 2

Singles - Tyler Engebretson, P, def. Ryan Dufresne, 6-2, 6-4; Kyle Cooper, P, def. Justin Stockdale, 6-1, 6-0; Justin Evertz, P, def. Christian Proud, 6-1, 6-2; Aaron Junor, S, def. Andrew Storro, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

Doubles - Shad Giles/Matt Roberts, P, def. Sam Lubbers/Riley Slaughter, 6-0, 6-2; Seth Hovenkotter/Christian McCurdy, P, def. Travis Griffin/Josh Meier, 6-4, 7-5; Kyle Constantino/Trevor Drake, S, def. Harrison Pentilla/Reed Hovenkotter, 6-2, 6-1.

Polson 4, Libby 3

Singles - Matt Roberts, P, def. Alex Cislo, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4; Shad Giles, P, def. Hunter Sheffield, 6-2, 6-0; Cree Maloney, L, def. Christian McCurdy, 6-0, 6-0; Cody Ercanbrack, L, def. Tom Deanovic, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles - Tyler Engebretson/Seth Hovenkotter, P, def. Cyrus Maloney/Nate Broden, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1; Kyle Cooper/Justin Everts, P, def. Lewis Brossman/Levi Edwards-Myslicki, 6-2, 6-3; Jessie Ramos/Zach Schikora, L, def. Andrew Storro/Sam Peel, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

Hamilton 4, Polson 3

Singles - Tyler Engebretson, P, def. Jason Jessop, 6-1, 7-5; Bob Huppert, H, def. Christian McCurdy, 6-0, 6-1; Ethan Selig, H, def. Justin Evertz, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4; Bubba Gueldenhaar, H, def. Tom Deanovic, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Doubles - Kyle Cooper/Matt Roberts, P, def. Nolan Green/Zander Smith, 6-0, 6-0; Seth Hovenkotter/Shad Giles, P, def. Alex Ridgway/Micheal Miller, 6-0, 6-2; Parker Richers/Graham Filcher, H, def. Reed Hovenkotter/Andrew Storro, 6-4, 6-3.

Girls

Polson 4, Bigfork 3

Singles - Jane Probst, P, def. Kelly Deaton, 6-3, 6-0; Jade Bosic, B, def. Danielle Kinion, 6-1, 6-1; Nicolette Peterson, B, def. Shayla McDonald, 6-0, 6-2; Hannah Barrett, B, def. Audra Engebretson, 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles - Kayla Rochin/Kendyall Rochin, P, def. Ariana Schultz/Jenn Wirth, 6-4, 6-3; Heather Mathison/Kelsie Jones, P, def. Ann Marie Loise/Ariel Stallenechst, 6-1, 6-0; Sara Keeble/Kelsie Howell, P, def. McKenzie S./ Kianna Wickland, 6-3, 6-1.

Polson 5, Stevensville 2

Singles - Kendyall Rochin, P, def. Becky Weidow, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-0; Christina Boberg, S, def. Sara Keeble, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; Heather Mathison, P, def. Cassidy Morgan, 6-0, 6-2; Misiel Ravina, S, def. Kenzie Clay, 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles - Jane Probst/Kayla Rochin, P, def. Courtney Liston/ Emily Pateman, 6-0, 6-0; Kelsie Jones/Kelsie Howell, P, def. Francisco Roberto/Courtney Schulz, 6-0, 6-0; Danielle Kinion/Shayla McDonald, P, def. Melissa Diforti/Rochelle Cutter, 6-0, 6-0.

Polson 5, Libby 2

Singles - Jackie Mee, L, def. Jane Probst, 6-3, 6-2; Audra Poppen, L, def. Sara Keeble, 6-4, 6-3; Kelsie Howell, P, def. Ashley Shaw, 6-1, 6-0; Danielle Kinyon, P, def. Chelsey Oedewaldt, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles - Kayla Rochin/Kendyall Rochin, P, def. Nichole Newman/Lindsey Kehn, 6-3, 6-2; Heather Mathison/Chelsie Jones, P, def. Tawnya Granger/Alissa Buti, 6-1, 6-1; Jordan Quinn/Audra Engebretson, P, def. Chelsea Ahart/Tana Wilson, 6-0, 6-0.

Polson 4, Hamilton 3

Singles - Jane Probst, P, def. Mary Conwell, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Kelsey Jura, H, def. Kelsie Howell, 6-1, 6-0; Kelsey Della Silda, H, def. Danielle Kinyon, 7-5, 6-4; Heather Mathison, P, def. Rylee Johnson, 6-0,6-0.

Doubles - Kayla Rochin/Kendyall Rochin, P, def. Rebecca Hankel/Kimberly Lamar, 6-0, 6-2; Kelsie Jones/Sara Keeble, P, def. Kyla Grymes/Stella Quinlan, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Varsha Rao/Erica Hansen, H, def. Jordan Quinn/Kenzie Clay, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.