SIOUX FALLS – Aberdeen Central came away with a win and several near-misses in a marathon day of girls’ tennis action Friday. The Golden Eagles dropped a 5-4 decision to Sioux Falls Washington and an 8-1 match to O’Gorman, but came away with a 7-2 victory over Sioux Falls Jefferson to complete a 1-2 day.
“We have a word of the day, and today’s word was ‘tough,’” said Central coach John Vogel. “And we couldn’t have picked a more fitting word. Playing three Sioux Falls teams in one day took us 12 hours.”
The Golden Eagles began the day taking on Washington and were unable to garner much traction throughout the match. Sarah Knie and Estelle Riggs came away with singles victories, while Central took wins at flight one and flight two doubles, as well.
However, the Golden Eagles couldn’t find a rhythm in the remaining matches, dropping tiebreakers in the final three singles matches.
“I do want to give Washington credit for being a much-improved team,” Vogel said. “Hats off to them.”
The Golden Eagles moved on to face Jefferson and finally began playing their brand of tennis, Vogel said.
“We were moving our feet, which helped us take four of the six (singles) matches,” he said.
Central then swept through doubles play, including a win at flight three doubles in which Jovee Waldo and Raylee Zimmer found themselves trailing 8-5 before rallying to win in a tiebreaker.
“Very pleased that we took all three matches,” Vogel said.
Facing O’Gorman at the end of a three-match day was a daunting task, but Vogel said his team gave the Knights everything it had left.
“We started with singles again, and the girls gave it their all, most playing close at first before OG swept them,” Vogel said. “But we proved our toughness with doubles. It was our team’s sixth match of the day, O’Gorman was fresh and all three teams played their best doubles of the day.”
Knie and Riggs fought back to force a tiebreaker in their top-flight doubles match and had a ton of energy doing so, Vogel noted.
“That…doubles (match) had a state tournament feel,” Vogel said. “Large crowd, playing under the lights. It was a great tennis atmosphere.”
Central wraps up a five-match weekend with two more duals today. The Golden Eagles will face Sioux Falls Roosevelt and Sioux Falls Lincoln.
“These girls are a tough team, and we’re ready for two more (Saturday),” Vogel said.
Sioux Falls Washington 5, Aberdeen Central 4
Singles
Sarah Knie, AC, def. Madelyn Dahlmeier, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).
Estelle Riggs, AC, def. Elizabeth Morgans, 6-2, 6-3.
Alivia Dahlmeier, SFW, def. Mady Holman, 6-2, 6-4.
Corinne Cahill, SFW, def. Penelope Vogel, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.
Aubrey Corp, SFW, def. Jovee Waldo, 6-3, 4-6, 10-4.
Seneca Nielsen, SFW, def. Raylee Zimmer, 5-7, 6-4, 10-4.
Doubles
Knie-Riggs, AC, def. M. Dahlmeier-Morgans, 6-4, 6-2.
Holman-Vogel, AC, def. Cahill-Corp, 6-4, 2-6, 10-8.
A. Dahlmeier-Kendall Blaylock, SFW, def. Waldo-Zimmer, 6-4, 6-2.
Aberdeen Central 7, Sioux Falls Jefferson 2
Singles
Afton Keller, SFJ, def. Sarah Knie, 10-3.
Estelle Riggs, AC, def. Kaia Pauli, 10-6.
Mady Holman, AC, def. Kinley Peterson, 10-0.
Penelope Vogel, AC, def. Bella Nielan, 10-9 (7-4).
Brynn Pauli, SFJ, def. Jovee Waldo, 10-9 (7-2).
Raylee Zimmer, AC, def. Audrey Wilhelm, 10-3.
Doubles
Knie-Riggs, AC, def. Keller-K. Pauli, 10-7.
Holman-Vogel, AC, def. Peterson-Nielan, 10-2.
Waldo-Zimmer, AC, def. B. Pauli-Wilhelm, 10-9 (7-3).
O’Gorman 8, Aberdeen Central 1
Singles
Lucy Koziara, OG, def. Sarah Knie, 10-4.
Sarah Jamous, OG, def. Estelle Riggs, 10-6.
Jude Hauck, OG, def. Mady Holman, 10-2.
Ruby Bender, OG, def. Penelope Vogel, 10-4.
Hadley Garry, OG, def. Jovee Wald 10-0.
Wilnel Farhat, OG, def. Raylee Zimmer, 10-4.
Doubles
Knie-Riggs, AC, def. Koziara-Hauck, 10-9 (7-5).
Jamous-Garry, OG, def. Holman-Vogel, 10-5.
Bender-Farhat, OG, def. Waldo-Zimmer, 10-5.
