HIBBING—The Hibbing High School girls tennis team took care of business Tuesday, beating Cloquet/Esko/Carlton 6-1 at the Lincoln Elementary School Courts.
The Bluejackets needed the win for Lake Superior Conference points, and for seeding purposes in Section 7AA.
“We came to play,” Hibbing coach Gary Conda said. “It was an important match, fighting for the conference title and at the same time, improving our standing or seeding in the section.
“We were without one of our captains, but we filled in. We changed our doubles a little bit. I was impressed with the doubles.
In doubles, Bella Jaynes and Opal Varleri would beat Emma Parks and Rylie Goranson, 6-2, 6-0.
“Bella moved up with Opal, and they were having together,” Conda said. “They got fired up, picked up a few balls at the net and hit some winners. Things were working for them.”
At second doubles, Erin McCormick and Kori McCormick beat Madison Erickson and Grace McIlvain, 6-3, 6-4, and at third doubles, Brylee Conda and Iris Hendrickson beat Erin Keating and Morgan Olesiakm 6-0, 7-6 (5).
“The McCormick sisters seem to play well together,” Conda said. “Iris, she’s more played more singles, so we were trying to get her to stay back and hit a few balls. Brylee picked up a few balls at the net.
“It worked well in the first set, but quite as well in the second set. They still won the tiebreaker.”
In singles, Mya McKenny beat Paige Goranson, 6-2, 6-3; Gianna Manning beat Ellie Krube, 7-5, 7-6 (6); and Ava Bougalis beat DJ Vernon, 6-3, 6-2.
“Mya is proving that she belongs at second singles,” Conda said. “She’s getting a more offensive game, and she’s starting to attack more on the short balls. Gianna is getting steadier, but she’s a little afraid to hit out on the easier balls. That will come.
“Ava, she hustles and gets a lot of balls. She made that girls earn every points she got. She had a big smile at the end of that match.”
The Lumberjacks Emilie Mattinen would beat Kenedi Koland at first singles, 4-6, 6-3, 10-4 in a super tiebreaker.
“That match was a nail-biter,” Conda said. “Kenedi is competing better and better as we go along.”
Hibbing will now travel to Duluth today to take on Duluth East, beginning at 9 a.m. at Longview Courts. The Bluejackets will take on White Bear Lake right after that.
“Duluth East is young this year, but we can’t look past them,” Conda said. “It’ll be a good match. They have wins over teams we’ve lost to, so it should be interesting.”
Hibbing 6, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton 1
Singles: No. 1—Emilie Mattinen, CEC, def. Kenedi Koland, 4-6, 6-3, 10-4; No. 2—Mya McKenny, H, def. Paige Goranson, 6-2, 6-3; No. 3—Gianna Manning, H, def. Ellie Krube, 7-5, 7-6 (6); No. 4—Ava Bougalis, H, def. DJ Vernon, 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles: No. 1—Bella Jaynes-Opal Valeri, H, def. Emma Parks-Rylie Goranson, 6-2, 6-0; No. 2—Erin McCormick-Kori McCormich, H, def. Madison Erickson-Grace McIlvain, 6-3, 6-4; No. 3—Brylee Conda-Iris Hendrickson, H, def. Morgan Olesiak-Erin Keating, 6-0, 7-6 (5).
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