The Minnewaska Area girls tennis team kicked off the 2022 schedule by playing two matches at the Roseau Invitational, Friday at Moorhead.  The Lakers, who are coming off a 13-8 season from a year ago, lost both their opening matches to Mound-Westonka (6-1) and Becker (4-3).

Minnewaska Area also competed in an individual tourney at Park Rapids, Saturday.  Avarie Uhde highlighted the team’s effort with a first-place finish at fourth singles, while Sydney Dahl and Olivia Bleick placed second at first doubles.

The Lakers have a young starting lineup this year with three seniors, four sophomores and three ninth-graders playing the top 10 spots in the opening two matches.

Coming up this week is a quadrangular at Litchfield, Wednesday, followed by the Brainerd Invitational, Monday, Aug. 29.

After opening up the 2022 schedule with five road dates, the Lakers have six of their final 12 competitions scheduled at home.    Minnewaska is set to host Morris Area-WCA for the home opener, Thursday, Sept. 1  The WCC Tourney is set for Saturday, Oct. 1 at Alexandria and the start of the Section 6A Team Tourney is Thursday, Oct. 6.

•  Minnewaska Area won last year’s WCC title with an 8-0 league record, followed by Morris Area-WCA (7-1), Montevideo (6-2), LQP-DB (5-3), Benson-KMS (4-4), Melrose Area (3-5), MACCRAY (2-6), Sauk Centre (1-7) and YME (0-8).

Among the key losses from last year’s team are graduating seniors Alissa Thorfinnson, Maddie Thorfinnson, Addy Randt, Olivia Richards and Leah Hagen.  Among the returning letterwinners are Olivia Bleick, Grace Jensen, Sydney Dahl, Alia Randt, Megan Thorfinnson and Avarie Uhde.

at Roseau Invitational

The Lakers opened up the new season with two close losses at the Roseau Invitational, Friday at Moorhead.  Minnewaska fell to Becker in the first match, 4-3, and also lost to Mound-Westonka, 6-1.

During the loss to Becker, Avarie Uhde picked up one point with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at fourth singles, while Grace Jensen and Zoey Elwood won 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) at second doubles, and Jayda Kolstoe and Katy Vold earned a 6-3, 6-4 victory at third doubles.

Becker won in straight sets at first through third singles and also won in three sets at first doubles (6-4, 5-7, 10-8 tiebreaker) over Sydnie Dahl and Olivia Bleick.

•  Things were just as close against Mound-Westonka as the Lakers earned their only point with a 7-5, 6-3 victory by Grace Jensen and Livi Danielson at second doubles.

The Lakers fell in a third-set tiebreaker at fourth singles and third doubles and also fell 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles.

at Park Rapids Invite

The Lakers played at Park Rapids, Saturday, with Avarie Uhde leading the way for the Lakers.  Uhde went 3-0 during the individual tourney at fourth singles to win the lone title for Minnewaska Area.  Uhde won her matches 6-1, 6-1; 6-2, 6-3; and 6-2, 7-5.

Placing second for the Lakers was the first doubles’ team of Sydney Dahl and Olivia Bleick, who lost in the finals 6-4, 6-2 after winning their first two matches 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-1 tiebreaker and 6-2, 7-5.

The third doubles’ team of Jayda Kolstoe and Katy Vold added a third-place finish at third doubles, while Livi Danielson was fourth at third singles, Grace Jensen and Zoey Elwood were fourth at second doubles, Megan Thorfinnson went 2-1 to finish fifth at second singles and Alia Randt was 1-2 at first singles to place sixth.

Becker 4, Minnewaska 3

SINGLES results: 

(1) Ayla Brown, Becker def Alia Randt 6-3, 6-3  (2) Dani Nuest, Becker def Megan Thorfinnson 6-3, 6-3  (3) Lauren Croal, Becker def Livi Danielson 6-4, 6-4  (4) Avarie Uhde, Min def Payton Eanerson 6-3, 6-3

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Lily Anderson-Madison Bass, Becker def Sydney Dahl-Olivia Bleick 6-4, 5-7, 10-8tb  (2) Grace Jensen-Zoey Elwood, Min def Alli Groskreutz-Kennedy Drehmel 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)  (3) Jayda Kolstoe-Katy Vold, Min def Hannah Bartlett-Olivia Nicken 6-3, 6-4

Mound-West 6, Minnewaska 1

SINGLES results: 

(1) Savannah Paul, MW def Alia Randt 6-3, 6-3  (2) Kate Velander, MW def Megan Thorfinnson 6-3, 6-2  (3) Ellen Pruitt, MW def Avarie Uhde 6-3, 6-4  (4) Reese Kasper, MW def Zoey Elwood 6-2, 5-7, 10-3tb

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Sara Funderburk-Sydney Leonard, MW def Olivia Bleick-Sydney Dahl 6-4, 6-4  (2) Grace Jensen-Livi Danielson, Min def Cam Winther-Anna Wood 7-5, 6-3  (3) Cam Hargreaves-Suzie Martha, MW def Jayda Kolstoe-Katy Vold 6-4, 3-6, 10-1tb

—————————————

at Park Rapids Invite

SINGLES results: 

(1) Alia Randt 1-2 (sixth)  

(2) Megan Thorfinnson 2-1 (fifth)  

(3) Livi Danielson 1-2 (fourth)  

(4) Avarie Uhde 3-0 (first)

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Sydney Dahl-Olivia Bleick 2-1 (second)  

(2) Grace Jensen-Zoey Elwood 1-2 (fourth)  

(3) Jayda Kolstoe-Katy Vold 2-1 (third)

—————————————

Minnewaska Area 

girls tennis records

Avarie Uhde 10 4-1 

Grace Jensen 12 3-2

Jayda Kolstoe 9 3-2

Katy Vold 10 3-2

Zoey Elwood 12 2-3

Livi Danielson 9 2-3

Megan Thorfinnson 10 2-3

Sydney Dahl 10 2-3

Olivia Bleick 12 2-3

Alia Randt 9 1-4