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Chisago Lakes’s Emily Erickson and Addie Carlson had the deepest run of anybody in the Individual Section 7AA tourney, but they eventually fell to a state qualifying tandem from Elk River.

Erickson and Carlson had a bye in the first round, and then took on a highly-seeded team from St. Francis, only to beat them easily, 6-3, 6-1.

That advanced the Wildcat duo to take on a team from Andover, and again, Erickson and Carlson made quick work of their opponents. They won 6-1, 6-2 over the Huskies’  Jordyn Abyad and Ella Boerger.

But, the fourth round is when some of the best teams remain, and Erickson and Carlson had a battle with Leah Skogquist-Berg and Paige Johnson from Elk River.

Erickson and Carlson battled in the first set and won 7-5 to grab the early lead. They came close to ending the match in the second set, but the Elk River pair staved-off elimination and won 7-5.

By that point, CL had lost a bit of momentum and Elk River took advantage, winning the third set 6-1 and advancing to the final four.

Skogquist-Berg and Johnson beat the top ranked team from Hibbing to advance to the finals where they lost to their teammates Kate Perbix and Mya Nelson.

Skogquist-Berg and Johnson then blew past a Rock Ridge pair in the true second match to punch their ticket to state.

The other Chisago Lakes doubles team is Ellie Hilber and Audra Behnke. They took on a tough doubles team from Forest Lake in their opening match and lost 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3.

Both North Branch doubles teams lost in the first round. Jillian Horsfall and Jaden Volman lost 6-3, 6-4 to an Andover pair, and Charlotte Santjer and Paulina Rossini lost 6-0, 6-1 to a St. Francis duo.

In singles, CL’s Alivia Clasen won her opening round match 6-0, 6-4 over Sloane Griesart of Princeton, but then she ran into eventual section champion and state champion hopeful Ava Nelson in the second round. Nelson prevailed 6-0, 6-0.

Laine DeVries lost her opener to Lauren Lee, from the tennis factory that is Elk River.

“I’m sad that it’s over for the seniors, but that’s just the way of things, I guess,” Chisago Lakes Head Coach Jon Erickson said. He noted that departing seniors DeVries, Erickson, Hilber, and Isabella Messerly have been integral parts of the team throughout the years.

North Branch’s Ashley Bistodeau grabbed an opening round win over Princeton’s Alexis Hemish, but then lost to Molly Graber of Blaine in straight sets.
NB’s Nora Touissant lost her opener.

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