By Becky Walz,
The Decorah girl’s tennis team competed in the North Central Tennis Conference Tournament at the Luther College courts Monday, with Charles City, Clear Lake, Decorah, Osage and Waverly-Shell Rock competing. A day later, the Vikings were back on the court at Waverly-Shell Rock and returned home with a 6-3 win.
The Decorah girl’s tennis team competed in the North Central Tennis Conference Tournament at the Luther College courts Monday, with Charles City, Clear Lake, Decorah, Osage and Waverly-Shell Rock competing. A day later, the Vikings were back on the court at Waverly-Shell Rock and returned home with a 6-3 win.
Tourney’s toughest
The tournament used a round robin format at each of No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 singles flights plus No. 1, 2 and 3 doubles flights. In each singles flight, each girl played 10 total games against each of four opponents. Place finishes were determined by how many total games each participant won out of 40 possible. Doubles was similar, except a total of eight games were played against each opponent.
Annalise Skrade at No. 1, Kristi Kjome-Johnson at No. 3, Evon Leitz at No. 4, Paige Lange at No. 5 and Allison Pavlovec at No. 6 each won their flights. At No. 2 Mara Holland tied the flight champion Kendall Olson from Osage for total games won, but had lost 4-6 in the head-to-head meeting.
“Mara had handled Kendall handily in the dual with Osage and it was tough for Mara to wrap her head around how much Kendall had improved. To Mara’s credit she regrouped admirably,” said Assistant Coach Reg Laursen.
He went on to add, “Annalise plays a ‘cerebral game,’ using great direction on her shots. Kristi is one of the most aggressive players on the team and used ‘controlled aggression’ to prevail.”
To his chagrin, Head Coach Larry Berland was not at the tournament because he needed to lead Decorah’s Envirothon teams in State Competition.
Go-Hawks caged
Tuesday, Decorah traveled to the home of the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks and came away with a tough fought victory 6-3. Both teams were missing key personnel. Decorah was missing their No. 1 player, Annalise Skrade, and W-SR was missing their No. 3 three player, Elly Neuendorf. Having to adjust their lineups, players from both teams found themselves locked in close battles.
“It was just another really, evenly matched meet that has been the tradition when Decorah and Waverly-Shell Rock get together on the tennis court. And those meetings are not over yet. Both teams are destined to meet again when the state qualifying regional singles and doubles tourney is held on the same courts in Waverly on Wednesday, May 11,” said Coach Larry Berland.
Mara Holland stepped up in her singles and doubles matches. Assuming the No. 1 position in the line-up, M. Holland never let losing enter into the formula for victory over Brooke Willis. She came back from an initial 4-2 deficit in singles and then again in doubles, when she and doubles partner Kristi Kjome-Johnson found victory after a 2-5 beginning difference to lead the way to a Viking victory over Willis and Grace Gaede.
Nadia Johnson and Evon Leitz continue to solidify the middle of the lineup for the Vikes. Leitz made quick work of her match at the No. 4 position versus Maddy Leary. Refusing to give up on any point, the duo forced Maggie Hart and Leary into point ending errors after long rallies.
N. Johnson’s victory gave the Vikes a 4-2 advantage after singles which was a huge positive for Decorah as they entered doubles.
Playing doubles together for the first time, N. Johnson and Haley Gossman had to remove some hesitation from their game before they took control of the match and cruised to an 8-3 victory.
What’s to come
Decorah will be at Independence Monday, May 9, at 4:30 p.m. The postseason will begin Wednesday, May 11, in Waverly at 9 a.m. The Vikings will compete in the Class 1A singles and doubles tournament.
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