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The Luverne tennis team continued its hot start to the season this past week with a win over Yellow Medicine East and MACCRAY on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at home and a team championship in the Worthington Doubles Tournament on Saturday.
LHS improves their dual record to 4-0 for the season with the wins.
Luverne 7, YME 0
The Cardinals won six matches in straight sets and received a forfeit during the Aug. 24 home contest with the Sting.
Luverne’s Mia Wenzel strolled to a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Hope Stark at No. 1 singles, while Kristin Rud topped Myra Kvam by 6-0, 6-0 tallies at No. 2 singles.
Hope Thorson defeated Hope Foy with a 6-3, 6-0 win at third singles, and Roselynn Hartshorn received a forfeit at No. 4 singles.
LHS won all the matches in doubles play, losing only one game in three matches.
Olivia Wieneke and Jacey Smith won 6-0, 6-1 at No.1 doubles. Katharine Kelm and Sarah Stegenga at No. 2 doubles and Tori Hemme and Priscilla Muehr at No.3 doubles both won by 6-0, 6-0 scores.
LHS coach Jon Beers said he was pleased with the Luverne athletes.
“I was really impressed with how the girls played,” he said.
"YME was a young team and didn't have much varsity experience, but we were able to remain focused and get the win.”
Luverne 6, MACCRAY 1
LHS was victorious in three of four singles matches and all three doubles matches for a 6-1 victory over the Wolverines in Luverne on Aug. 24.
Coach Beers changed his lineup for the second match of the day.
At No.1 singles, Wenzel won by scores of 6-2, 7-5 to go undefeated on the day. Wieneke and Smith moved to singles play at No. 2 and No. 3. Both won by scores of 6-0, 6-1.
At No.4 singles, Emma Lusty played in her first varsity match, losing 6-1, 6-0. “Emma played a good match for her varsity action. I think she came out a little nervous in the first set, but I was really happy with her play in the second set,” Beers said.
In doubles play, Rud and Thorson won 6-0, 6-1 at No.1. Kelm and Stegenga went undefeated on the day, winning 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.
Hartshorn teamed up with Cassi Chesley at No. 3 doubles, winning 6-0, 6-2.
“This was the first varsity doubles match they had played and did an outstanding job,” Beers said.
WHS tourney
The Cardinals captured the team championship at the Worthington Doubles Tournament Saturday.
A total of six LHS doubles squads played seven, seven-game matches in one of three flights at the event.
Three LHS doubles teams claimed flight titles, and the Cardinals claimed the team championship with 200 points.
Worthington (153 points), Pipestone (146) and Yellow Medicine East (90) capped the field.
Rud and Thorson compiled 32 points (total games won) to win the Red Flight, while Wieneke and Smith placed fourth in the flight with 27 points.
Wenzel and Rylee Anderson took top honors in the Black Flight with 37 points, while Kelm and Stegenga finished third with 27 points.
Hemme and Muehr won the White flight with 38 points, while Hanna Ehlers and Kristin Rud finished second with 38 points. Both teams finished with 38 points with Hemme and Muehr winning the tie-breaker.
“The girls played great all day. Two years ago, we won this tournament scoring 197 points,” Beers said.
“We were able to beat that score, so the girls should be really proud of that accomplishment. The highlight of the day for me is that the worst we lost in any match was by a 4-3 score. Anytime your worst defeat is by one game in a tournament like this, you're going to have a good day.”
Luverne was scheduled to play on Monday and Tuesday at home with matches against River Valley and Fairmont. (Those results will be in the Sept. 9 Star Herald.)
The Cardinals will return to competition after the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 7 in Blue Earth.