•  Lakers also set to open up individual tourney, Wednesday

The Minnewaska Area girls tennis team opened up the Section 6A Tourney with a 7-0 sweep of St. John’s Prep, Thursday at home.

The Lakers now are set to face third-seeded Osakis, Tuesday morning, Oct. 8 at Rogers.  With a win, Minnewaska Area would move on to the championship match against top-seeded Litchfield or fourth-seeded NLS later the same day.

Minnewaska Area improved to 18-3 overall with the win over SJP, which included four shutouts.

The Lakers were also 8-0 in the WCC to win a 10th-straight conference title.  Montevideo was second with a 7-1 record, followed by LQP-DB (6-2), Benson-KMS (5-3), Morris Area-WCA (4-4), YME (3-5), Melrose Area and Sauk Centre (both 2-6) and MACCRAY (0-8).

The State Girls Tennis Tournament is set for Oct. 22-25 at the Read-Sweatt Tennis Center in Minneapolis.  The first two days are for team and the last two days are for individuals.

The Section 6A Individual Tourney is also set to begin this week on Wednesday, Oct 9, at Rogers, with the first two rounds.  The Final Four is set for Oct. 15, also at Rogers.

“Our team is playing very well right now and although we know it will be tough, we also know we’re capable of beating any team in our section,” coach Tara Reichmann said.  “It should be a great competition.”  

The top records for the Lakers this year going into this week’s action are Olivia Danielson (26-2) and Rachel Rankin (26-2), but a total of nine players have at least 20 wins.  Wow!

Minnewaska 7, SJP 0

The Lakers lost just five total games during a 7-0 rout of St. John’s Prep in the Section 6A Tourney opener, Thursday at Minnewaska Area High School.

The Lakers earned the second seed in the section and SJP was seeded seventh of the nine section teams.

Alia Randt led the onslaught with a 6-0, 6-0 shutout at first singles, while Megan Thorfinnson (6-1, 6-0), Olivia Danielson (6-0, 6-0) and Kaylen Blair (6-1, 6-0) also won easily at second through fourth singles, respectively.

In doubles, Avarie Uhde and Rachel Rankin had the closest match of the contest, winning 6-1, 6-2 at first doubles, while Katy Vold-Addy Heid and Katie Sorenson-McKenna Uhde also won by shutouts at second and third doubles, respectively.

The win moved the Lakers on to the semifinals where they will face third-seeded Osakis.

at Waska 7, St. John’s Prep 0

SINGLES results: 

(1) Alia Randt, Min def Alayna Neal 6-0, 6-0  (2) Megan Thorfinnson, Min def Ari Surma 6-1, 6-0  (3) Olivia Danielson, Min def Leah Bechtold 6-0, 6-0  (4) Kaylen Blair, Min def Julia Loehlein 6-1, 6-0

DOUBLES results:  

(1)  Avarie Uhde-Rachel Rankin, Min def Olivia Martin-Chafee/Varrsha Chenthuren 6-1, 6-2  (2) Katy Vold-Addy Heid, Min def Joella Raeker-Anna Kremer 6-0, 6-0  (3)  Katie Sorenson-McKenna Uhde, Min def Sophie Grandy-Lucy Bechtold 6-0, 6-0

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