SIOUX FALLS – Aberdeen Roncalli found itself in some tight battles during the opening day of the Class A State Tennis Tournament on Monday.
The Cavaliers will be competing in three flights when action resumes today, but came up short in four super-tiebreakers during the first day of action. Roncalli is in ninth place with 78 points.
“I was proud of our girls for coming out and playing hard,” said Roncalli coach Hallie Rohrbach. “A couple of our girls were sitting at seed eight, making for some tough first-round matches.”
Maria Barnett at flight two singles and Katherine Kretchman at flight five singles both won their first matches.
Kretchman then pushed the number two seed from Rapid City Christian to the brink before falling in a super 10-7.
“I was really proud of how she did against the Rapid City Christian girl,” Rohrbach said. “Previously in the season she lost to her 10-3. She came out to play. She played hard and didn’t give up until it was finished.”
Hallie Haskell lost a super breaker at top flight singles, but bounced back to win a consolation match and will play for the consolation championship today.
Roncalli will also have two doubles teams in action. Haskell and Barnett will try to win a pair of matches to get fifth place at flight one doubles, while Kretchman and Eva Madsen will play for the consolation championship at flight three doubles.
The other team of River Haskell and Raley Haskell dropped two close matches at second flight doubles.
Rohrbach noted that it was the first state tourney for both Anna Mitzel and Madsen.
“They played strong and have improved so much this season,” Rohrbach said. “It’s exciting to think what this team is going to be able to do together these next few years.”
Team Points: Mitchell 300, Rapid City Christian 266, Yankton 254.5, Pierre 235, St. Thomas More 193.5, Huron 172.5, Vermillion 156.5, Lennox 88.5, Aberdeen Roncalli 78, Milbank Area 74, Madison 69, Spearfish 61.5, Sioux Falls Christian 47.
SINGLES
First Flight
HALLIE HASKELL: lost to Evelyn Graham, Madison, 6-4, 5-7, 10-7; def. Elsa Johnson, Sioux Falls Christian 10-3.
Second Flight
MARIA BARNETT: def. Elizabeth Heinen, Huron, 6-4, 6-1; lost to Nora Krajewski, Yankton, 6-0, 6-0; lost to Sylvie Mortimer, St. Thomas More, 10-4.
Third Flight
RIVER HASKELL: lost to Sophia Meyer, St. Thomas More, 6-3, 2-6, 12-10; lost to Hope Karels, Milbank Area, 10-4.
Fourth Flight
RALEY HASKELL: lost to Frannie Kouri, Yankton, 6-2, 6-0; def. Ava Iszler, Spearfish, 10-6; lost to Halle Karzamin, Sioux Falls Christian, 10-5.
Fifth Flight
KATHERINE KRETCHMAN: def. Christian Rowe, Madison, 6-1, 6-1; lost to Riley Geyer, Rapid City Christian, 1-6, 6-2 10-7; lost to Addison Gordon, Yankton, 10-3.
Sixth Flight
ANNA MITZEL: lost to Paige Mitzel, Yankton, 6-1, 6-1; lost to Anna Oetzmann, Madison, 10-4.
DOUBLES
First Flight
HALLIE HASKELL-MARIA BARNETT: def. Elsa Johnson-Jade TenHaken, Sioux Falls Christian, 6-3, 6-2; lost to Sydney Tedrow-Kara Weiss, Pierre, 6-0, 6-2.
Second Flight
RIVER HASKELL-RALEY HASKELL: lost to Abby Hanson-Kasey Hanson, Vermillion, 0-6, 6-2, 10-2; lost to Karly Doom-Madelyn Westenberg, Sioux Falls Christian, 10-8.
Third Flight
KATHERINE KRETCHMAN-EVA MADSEN: lost to Kayla Marsh-Frannie Kouri, Yankton, 6-0, 6-0; def. Elsie Seffrood-Amelia Pederson, Milbank Area, 10-3.
