Maidens top Lady Bulldogs

RONAN - After dropping the first match against Mission's Sarah

Bowers, the Ronan girls' tennis team finished strong and won the

rest of the matches in the dual for the 6-1 victory.

RONAN - After dropping the first match against Mission's Sarah Bowers, the Ronan girls' tennis team finished strong and won the rest of the matches in the dual for the 6-1 victory.

"It was nice for the kids to get their first tase of playing since only Jane [Makepeace] and Sarah [Bowers] were returning players," Mission head girls' team coach Sara Ison said. "There were three varsity players who were not eligible due to the 10 day practice rule so that meant after the No.3 singles sport everyone had to play three sports above what their level was and I think they did great. They stepped up to those roles nicely and even though Sarah was the only one to come away with the win, I was still pleased with the level of competitiveness from the other girls."

In the No. 1 singles match, Bowers defeated Josie Benedetti, 6-4, 6-2 to start things off nicely for Mission.

"Sarah has stepped her game up quite a bit since last year as a singles player," Ison said.

After trying singles last year, Ison had moved Bowers to doubles competition with partner Becky Hiatt. The two proved to be an awesome doubles duo but now this year, Bowers is ready again for singles.

"She is more willing to come up to the net and end the points sooner," Ison said.

"As of right now I would say she is a good tennis player and has a very good chance of winning divisionals if she keeps up the hard work but she has even more potential ahead of her and I am so excited that she has this year and the next to keep improving and reaching new levels."

Ronan rounded out the rest of the singles match ups as Amber Metzger defeated Jane Makepeace 6-3, 7-5, Taylor Courville downed McKenzie Trudeau, 8-3 and Aimee Freiberg topped

Cierra Daugherty, 8-2.

"I see a lot of potential in my two top freshman, Cierra and Katie. Cierra works really hard on using the correct form during her matches which will pay off in the long run where as others are tempted to just do what it takes to get the ball over even if it's the wrong form," Ison said. "Katie has shown a lot of work ethic in practices and is very focused when she plays. I'm expecting great things from these two."

In doubles, Ronan was also on the winning side as the Maidens' Darian Blixt-Leo and Katelyn Matkovich defeated Katie Hogge and Robyn Mitchell, 6-1, 6-0. Brianna Frank and Seri Smith of Ronan downed Kayla Billette and Alora Tarier, 6-0, 6-0 for the second doubles matchup and the Maidens' Rachel Cordis and Jonelle Laver defeated Sanna Kontenian and Jenny Schmitt 8-0 to round out the doubles play for Ronan.

"Robyn Mitchell and Kayla Billette are two others that have a lot of potential and great years ahead of them," Ison said.

Ison went on to say that it's just a matter of time before the team gets the experience it needs.

"The team as a while will need to work on smart game tactics and using good form so that they can be strong, solid hitters," Ison said. "That is my vision for my team that each one of my girls can hit the ball with heavy topspin and are consistent. They are all capabale of becoming that sort of player that is a force to be reckoned with, it's just up to them to put in the time and hard work to learn how to hit the ball the correct way instead of the ‘easy' way."

Lady Bulldogs battle with Darby

DARBY - The Mission girls' tennis team had more of their regular lineup for their Darby matchup on Friday, falling 4-2 but again showing a lot of promise.

"I'm very proud of the girls and see so much potential in this year's team," Ison said. "In years' past it seems like the bottom seeds were sports that just had to be filled and there was a clear drop off after that but that is not the case this year. There is going to be a couple of girls who won't make varsity at the end of the season but will be just as good as those who are on varsity."

Sarah Bowers and Jane Makepeace started things off well for Mission, with Bowers defeating Darby's Brianna Massey 6-4, 6-2 in the No. 1 matchup and Makepeace downing Courage Loaviere 6-4, 6-7, (3-7), 6-0 in the No. 2 battle.

"Sarah started out a little off in her match but once she got her kinks worked out and picked up on the fact that her opponent had a weak backhand, she cleaned house pretty quick," Ison said. "Jane had another difficult match with a lot of unforced errors that brought her to a third set. However, after refocusing herself and getting instructions to stop hitting down the middle, she went into the third set on fire and, in the blink of an eye it seemed, ended the third set 6-0."

Darby's Kalley Bergren downed Mission's McKenzie Trudeau in a battle, 6-3, 6-1.

"McKenzie is new to the game and still learning how to hit the ball and be consistent but she's tough and fast," Ison said. "She's very competitive and once she really gets the feel for good, solid hitting she is going to be tough to beat."

The Lady Bulldogs' Morgan Andres played tough in her first match and lost a close one to Greene of Draby, 6-4, 6-4.

In doubles action, Darby's Juliet Brahamsen and Kage Roundy defeated Sydney Allard and Ashley Courville from Mission.

"Sydney Allard and Ashley Courville had their first match and this is their first year playing tennis," Ison said. "I really liked what I saw from those two. We haven't had a chance to really work with those two as a doubles team but they did the best with what they knew how to do."

Ison went on to add that the two are very coachable and pick up quickly on instructions and tactics.

"I can see these two taking divisionals this year," Ison said. "They have the competitiveness and the internal drive to become better players. Once they had the go ahead to be aggressive at the net they were a totally different team. They just didn't quite have the ground strokes and form to win that match."

In the second doubles matchup, it was a close one as Darby's Melissa Dowdy and Abbey Tails barely got by Katie Hogge and Cierra Dougherty, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

"Katie and Cierra played their first match together as a doubles team and I thought they did a great job," Ison said. "I thought they worked together really well and will be a solid No. 2 doubles team especially once we get some one-on-one with them working on doubles tactics and good form. They had a tough match and unfortunately, unforced errors put them in a third set and a loss. They took a lot away from it."

Ronan 6. Mission 1

Singles

Sarah Bowers, M, def. Jess Benedetti, 6-4, 6-2.

Amber Metzger, R, def. Jane Makepeace, 6-3, 7-5.

Taylor Courville, R, def. McKenzie Trudeau, 8-3

Aimee Freiberg, R, def. Cierra Daugherty, 8-2.

Doubles -

Darian Blixt-Leo/Katelyn Matkovich, R, def. Katie Hogge/Robyn Mitchell, 6-1, 6-0.

Brianna Frank/Seri Smith, R, def. Kayla Billette/Alora Tarier, 6-0, 6-0.

Rachel Cordis/Jonelle Laver, R, def. Sanna Kontenian/

Jenny Schmitt, 8-0.

Darby 4, Mission 2

Singles

Sarah Bowers, M, def. Brianna Massey 6-4,6-2.

Jane Makepeace, M, def. Courage Loaviere 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-0.

McKenzie Trudeau def. by Kailey Bergren, D, 3-6, 1-6.

Morgan Andres def. by Greene, D, 4-6, 4-6.

Doubles

Sydney Allard and Ashley Courville def. by Juliet Brahamsen

and Kage Roundy, D, 0-6, 2-6.

Katie Hogge and Cierra Dougherty def. by Melissa Dowdy and Abbey Talis, D, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6.