WHS GIRLS' TENNIS: Worthington’s girls’ tennis squad falls to Shakopee and Mankato West

MANKATO — The Worthington girls’ tennis team lost both games of their doubleheader Thursday by a score of 7-0 to Shakopee and Mankato West in Manakto.

“The girls learned a lot in these games,” WHS coach Mike Marquardt said. “They now understand what it means to play with consistency. We struggled with our serves and we were not able to close. But we still fought a good fight. These were two good teams.”

In the first game, Shakopee overpowered the Trojans singles and doubles teams alike.

The No. 1 singles matchup was won by Shakopee’s Haley Lickfold over Kate Lesnar, 6-0, 6-0. In No. 2 singles, Shakopee’s Taylor Koenen defeated Emily Williamson, 6-1, 6-1.

No. 3 singles player Elizabeth Luke took on Shakopee’s Kayla Schmidt, but lost 6-2, 6-1. In the final singles match, Shakopee’s Abby Wondrach beat Rachel Drietz 7-5, 6-3.

Doubles for the Trojan’s didn’t go any better for them than singles with No. 1 doubles team Annie Lesnar and Brianna Kempema losing to the Shakopee team of Jojo Lindstrom and Dannick Buyoguento 6-0, 6-1.

In No. 2 doubles, Shakopee’s Maddie Myers and Serina Fisher defeated Makensie Carstensen and Laura Wettering 6-4, 6-1. Lastly, No. 3 doubles team Sarah Janssen and Ashley Jansma lost to Shakopee’s Ali Kuderle and Amber Kale 6-1, 6-1.

The Trojans also played three JV matches against Shakopee with Kirsten Aljets losing 8-2, Kara Honius losing 8-2 and the doubles team of Erika Schutte and Paige Stewart losing 8-1.

The results of Game 2 of the doubleheader were much the same as Game 1 with Worthington falling 7-0 to Mankato West. The only difference coming in the lineup change Marquardt made for the second game.

“I don’t feel comfortable with our lineup quite yet,” Marquardt said. “Right now it seems like some of our doubles players are playing better singles and some of our singles are playing better doubles.”

No. 1 singles player Kate Lesnar lost to Mankato West’s Lauren Makema 6-2, 6-0. In the No. 2 singles matchup, Mankato West’s Julia Nelson defeated Luke 6-0, 6-1.

Annie Lesnar, who was switched from No. 1 doubles to No. 3 singles for the second game, lost her match to Mankato West’s Andrea Gerdman 6-0, 6-1. Lesnar’s doubles partner, Kempema, played No. 4 singles for Game 2, but she also ended up losing to Mankato West’s Lia Spencer 6-1, 6-3.

In doubles action, Williamson and Drietz teamed up for No. 1 doubles, but lost to Mankato West’s Justisen Scheller and Miranda Winkoop 6-0, 6-0. In No. 2 doubles, Mankato West’s Kelsey Klinger and Emily Smith defeated Carstensen and Wettering 6-0, 6-0.

Finally, in No. 3 doubles, Mankato’s Lynn Braun and Kendra Allen defeated Janssen and Jansma 6-2, 6-1.

For the Mankato West game, the Trojans played five matches of JV tennis. In three singles matches, Aljets lost 8-0, Honius lost 8-1 and Justyce Voss lost 8-0. In JV doubles, Miranda LeBrun and Alicia Khatt lost 8-0 while Schutte and Stewart lost 8-0.

“We need to get more comfortable with longer points,” Marquardt said. “We also have to learn how to set up points and to get the advantage back to our side of the court. But overall the girls still played well.”

The Trojans play host to Pipestone, Luverne and Martin County West in the Worthington Invitational Saturday starting at 9 a.m. Worthington plays Luverne in the first match of the day.

Daily Globe Reporter Jordan Willi

may be reached at 376-7335.

Tags: sports, prep, tennis, trojans