Alexandria girls' tennis: Cards hand Warriors first season loss

• Quitmeyer

Echo Press photo by Eric Morken Tyra Quitmeyer won her third singles match to help put the Cardinals on top in their tennis match against Brainerd Tuesday.

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The Cardinal girls’ tennis team extracted a little revenge for an earlier loss this season, traveling to Brainerd Tuesday and returning with a 4-3 win over the Warriors.

“Brainerd is a very talented team with strength and experience at every spot,” said Cardinal head coach Dave Ronning. “It is hard to find weaknesses, and so we wanted to go out and give a good effort at every spot and let the chips fall where they may.

“We got a balanced attack as we won two singles matches and two doubles matches. I felt going in that we needed to sweep the doubles lineup and get a win somewhere in the singles lineup.

“We got the singles win in rather convincing fashion from Tyra [Quitmeyer] at No. 3 singles as she gave up just two games,” he added. “Rachel Astrup got the other singles win and it was sweet for her as she had never beaten this girl, and she got the fourth and deciding point for the team.

“Rachel saw her one-set lead disappear as the Brainerd girl came back and took the second set 6-1, but Rachel was determined and battled hard, and hit some beautiful passing shots down the stretch of the match, pulling it off 6-4.”

Quitmeyer won her match 6-2, 6-0 while Astrup’s victory came in three sets 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

Alexandria’s two doubles wins came at first and second doubles as Brianna Ebert and Rebecca Lukes won in three sets 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 at the first spot and Kristen Schmidt and Ellie Bergstrand won at the second spot in three sets that included a tiebreaker.

“Brianna and Rebecca are proving to be a solid first doubles team as they continued to attack the net and put the pressure on the Brainerd girls,” said Ronning. “Our second doubles team of Kristen Schmidt and Ellie Bergstrand had to battle from behind as they had a slow start, losing the first set 4-6, and fell behind in the second set 5-6.

“They got the second set to a breaker, which they won 7-3, and from there they never looked back, winning the third set 6-2.

“We moved our lineup around a bit because we have had some injuries here and there, and the girls accepted the challenge and were not to be denied.

“We have lost some really close matches this year, and it was a real shot in the arm for our girls to come out on top of this one, and to do it to the reigning and unbeaten conference champs,” said Ronning. “We are now 10-3 overall and 3-3 in the conference.”

ALEXANDRIA 4, BRAINERD 3

SINGLES

No. 1 – Mikinzee Salo, Brd, def. Jenna Galstad 6-2, 6-0, No. 2 – Rachel Astrup, Alex, def. Briana Rademacher 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, No. 3 – Tyra Quitmeyer, Alex, def. Mackayla Headlee 6-2, 6-0, No. 4 – Natalie Cermeau, Brd, def. Raessa Winkels 6-2, 6-0.

DOUBLES

No. 1 – Brianna Ebert-Rebecca Lukes, Alex, def. Kayla Kraemer-Sara Wennerstrand 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, No. 2 – Kristin Schmidt-Ellie Bergstrand, Alex, def. Nichole Gervenak-Megan Hintz 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2, No. 3 – Courtney Tosler-Morgan Steffen, Brd, def. Brittany Holm-Katie Basiago 6-4, 7-5.

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