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The North Branch tennis team opened its conference season at home with the Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks Tuesday, August 29. Cooper won the exciting meet, that came down to a tiebreaker at first doubles, by a 4-3 score.

“It came down to the wire,” said Viking head coach Tom McLaughlin.  “Danni Sonnenfeld won quickly at first singles (6-0, 6-1), followed by Crystal Miller at third singles (6-3, 6-4).  But, we then lost what had started out to be close matches at fourth singles (Emily Byrne)  and third doubles, (Jeni Farr and Catie Bettendorf) by identical scores 6-7, 0-6.” 

With the score knotted 2-2, Sara Fletcher, at second singles, won her first set 6-1, but lost her second set 2-6, before turning it around to win the third set and the match 6-4. “It may have been the best match she has ever played for us and it was her first at second singles,” McLaughlin continued.

 That left first and second doubles out on the court.  Kelsey O’Hern and Katie Wicklund won their first set 6-3, but lost the next two sets 4-6 and 3-6. Robyn Rodrigue and Mandy Johnson lost their first set 2-6 before coming back and winning their second  6-4.  They served for the third set and the match at 6-5 but lost the game and the ensuing tiebreaker 6-8. 

“They are improving quickly. They played much more aggressively the second two sets and it gave them the chance to win the match in the tiebreaker,” the coach added. “Danni (Sonnenfeld) continued to play quite well.” 

NB 7, Columbia Heights 0

Danni Sonnenfeld won quickly at first singles, again, 6-1, 6-1 in the August 31 meet at Heights. Sara Fletcher won at second singles after playing a very close first set and then cruising through the second set  to win 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. 

“She was able to maintain her focus and not sit back on her heels during the end of the first set and the entire second set.  This was great and is something she needs to continue to do,” McLaughlin continued.

 Crystal Miller won a long three-set match, finishing, as the sun was setting, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. “Katie Wicklund won at fourth singles in her first match there (at fourth singles) for us this year 6-4, 6-2.  This is only the Katies (Wicklund and Bettendorf) second year in tennis and so I was very happy with the quality of play and focus she displayed during her match,” McLaughlin commented.

All three doubles teams won set matches to, complete the sweep.   

1 doubles Rodrigue/ Mandy Johnson won 6-3, 5-7, 7-5

2 doubles O’Hern/Bettendorf won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

3 doubles Jeni Farr/ Sarah Byrne won 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-0

“I felt that, after they had won the first set rather quickly by being aggressive and hustling on the court, they lost their intensity  in the second set.  After talking it over after losing the second set tiebreaker,  they did a great job of adjusting and went back to a more aggressive style of play in the third set,” McLaughlin said about the play of Farr and Byrne.

Irondale 5, North Branch 2 

At North Branch

Tuesday, September 5

“Our top two singles were not on top of their games today.  Danni Sonnefeld lost 1-6, 1-6 at first singles and Sara Fletcher lost 3-6, 2-6 at second singles,” said coach McLaughlin. 

Crystal Miller, at third singles lost 5-7, 1-6.  Katie Wicklund lost 6-3, 3-6, 1-6 at fourth singles. This is both Crystal and Katies first year of playing some varsity singles and they have both adjusted well with the change from doubles and I’ve been happy with their progress,” said McLaughlin.

At first doubles, “Robyn Rodrigue/Mandy Johnson played perhaps their best match of the season, winning quickly 6-1, 6-3. 

Playing second doubles Kelsey O’Hern and Catie Bettendorf also won what had been a very close match.  They split tiebreakers in the first two sets and then quickly won the third set,” added the coach. The NB girls won 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (6-8), 6-0.  

At third doubles, Jeni Farr/Emily Byrne also lost a close match 4-6, 6-4, 4-6. “With a couple of points here or there they would have won their match,” McLaughlin said.

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