The Alexandria girls tennis team battled an always-tough program in the Central Lakes Conference on Tuesday night.
A win against St. Cloud Tech would have been a big step toward trying to win a CLC championship this season, but the Tigers (2-2, 2-1 CLC) got the Cardinals (4-1, 4-1 CLC) in a 4-3 final in St. Cloud. Brainerd is one of the other top teams in the league, with the Warriors sitting at 4-0 with Alexandria coming into Tuesday.
“It wasn't one of our better nights, but the Tigers came to play and thus the results,” Alexandria head coach Dave Ronning said.
The Cardinals led 3-2 at one point against Tech after Kaylee Svee and Whitley Netland and Kenna Aure and Anna Doherty won at first and second doubles, respectively. Jaya Hatlestad also won her fourth singles match to get Alexandria within a point of taking the match.
The Tigers had won at first singles and third doubles, and they dug in from there. Alexandria’s Sarah Jiang at third singles and Tabea Roggenbuck at second singles were locked in close matches. Both matches went to three sets, but Tech closed out both of those for the 4-3 win that dropped Alexandria to 4-1 on the season.
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“It was disappointing for the girls, for we felt we were the better team,” Ronning said, “but like I said earlier, the Tigers came to play and they played with heart. The bright side was that Jaya at fourth singles, Kaylee and Whitly at first doubles, and Anna and Kenna at second doubles all remain unbeaten on the season.”
