Tennis: RONAN SET FOR DIVISIONALS

by Dylan Kitzan & Leader Reporter
| May 10, 2012 7:00 PM

RONAN — The Ronan tennis teams had a tough go of things against fierce competition last week as they get ready for the divisional tournament in Troy next weekend. On Tuesday, April 1, the Maidens were able to nab a pair of matches from Loyola Sacred Heart, but Ronan fell 4-2.

In the No. 1 singles spot, Amber Metzger had little trouble downing Jocelyn Caldwell, winning 6-2, 6-1, while the Maidens’ No. 2 doubles pair of Darian Blixt-Leo and Seri Smith enjoyed the same success, defeating Angela Holter and Emily McCue 6-2, 6-1.

Ronan was snakebitten, however, by the matches that went three sets. No. 3 singles player Hannah Bird Rattler started strong, but Erin Flint rallied in the final two sets to steal a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 win. Hannah Kiehn, at No. 4, experienced a similar fate, taking the first set before falling 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 to Shannon Eppard.

The Maidens’ top doubles team of Katelyn Matkovich and Taylor Courville, meanwhile, battled back after dropping their first set, but couldn’t turn the tables on Loyola, falling to Callan Haggarty and Allison Sawyer 7-6, 5-7, 6-3. Brianna Frank, at No. 2 singles, kept pace with Kelly Eppard, but couldn’t take a set and was downed 6-3, 6-3. The Chiefs were able to match Loyola’s boys for most of the afternoon, but couldn’t take a match as Loyola swept the meet 6-0.

No. 4 singles player Ronny Cullis rallied from a slow start to go the distance, but Nels Gamaas escaped with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win. At No. 2 doubles, Joey Dresen and Logan Soukala earned a first-set win, but couldn’t fend off a comeback from Eric Williams and Zach Burke, as Ronan’s team was defeated 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Hunter Shima did just about everything to take a set, but Kalen Christiaens wouldn’t have any of it, beating Shima 7-5, 6-4, while Kyle Yankey hung tough early before falling late, 6-3, 6-0 to Matt Roberts. Spencer Sucha couldn’t quite get the best of Chris Ngata, falling 6-4, 6-1 and the top doubles team of Daniel Aylesworth and Tyler Anderson were upended, 6-4, 6-2, by Josh Gilligan and Teddy Muth.

Four days later, both teams experienced similar results when the Maidens came up on the short end of a 5-2 match, while the Chiefs lost 7-0 to Corvallis.

Payton Adams saw his first action of the week and nearly forced a third set in his match against Turner Zspunik, but was downed 6-2, 7-5, Shima was defeated by Mitchell Decker 6-3, 6-0 and Yankey fell 6-0, 6-2. Sucha came within four points of forcing a deciding set before dropping a 6-2, 7-6 (3) match to Josh Venema.

On the doubles side, the Chiefs (and the Maidens) had the opportunity to play three teams because they were facing a Class A squad. Anderson and Aylesworth took a few games from Bridger Walczynski and DJ Pekoc, but were defeated 6 -1, 6-2, Dresen and Soukala struggled against Tim Allsop and Drew Myers, falling 6-0, 6-0 and the team of Cullis and Tyson Allen were upended 6-0, 6-1.

Metzger swept her week by dominating Annie Sangster 6-2, 6-2 and Frank fought hard to earn a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. Outside of Frank’s win, though, three-set matches continued to plague Ronan. Matkovich and Courville won their second set, but were defeated 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 by Sydnee Madrigal and Megan Langyel, while Smith and Blixt-Leo took set number one, but were victimized by the rally of Emma Decker and Brooke Heckeroth 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Kiehn held her own with Veronika Brown, but Brown earned a 6-4, 6-2 win, while Bird Rattler had a tough go of it against Shayna Jessop, being downed 6-0, 6-1. In their first varsity action of the year, No. 3 doubles team Sam Ashley and Cassie Hawkins were defeated 6-0, 6-0 by Lacey Allsop and Jaurice Cooper.

This week, Ronan will travel to divisionals, looking to make some noise and rebound from a very uncharacteristic week. Beware, Class B foes, Ronan will be ready.