Sports

In girls tennis: Falcons take match, Rangers put up stiff competition

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by Richard Creaser

copyright the Chronicle 5-21-2014

ORLEANS — The North Country Falcons claimed a 5-2 win against the host Lake Region Rangers in girls varsity tennis play on Monday afternoon. The victory marked the Falcons’ first of the season but continued Lake Region’s losing streak.

Although the Rangers are still looking for their first team win, Monday’s match proved that the two sides are not so far apart. Ranger Sydney Whipple came out on top of an epic duel against Falcon Danielle Therrien in the number two doubles match 8-6.

“I’d say it was my long shots that made the difference,” Whipple said after the match. “When I placed them well it cut off the angles. It’s something I’ve been working on, and today it just worked really well for me.”

LRtennis NCdoubles web — Erica Tweed shows good form as she returns mid-court during Monday’s doubles match against the host Lake Region Rangers. Tweed and her partner Samantha Stanhope would eventually best Rangers Juelia Bollens-Lund and Olivia McKenna 8-4 for the win. Photo by Richard Creaser

Whipple commended Therrien on her ability to drop short, shallow shots throughout the contest. It forced Whipple to scramble and dig deep in order to return the shots.

“I’ve had some problems chipping this year,” Whipple said. “Usually I would chip short and hit the net. Today I was getting more of them to drop in.”

Nora Muhonen would secure Lake Region’s other match win, defeating Falcon Kristina Gauvin 8-4 in the number three singles contest.

Falcon India Bluett bested Ranger Alyssa Lawson in the number one singles match 8-2, and Falcon Brianna Grimm bested Lake Region’s Karina Cimbarová 8-1 in the girls number four singles. North Country’s Emily Dobler bested Alora Rowell 8-2 in the number five singles match.

LRtennis Grimm — North Country’s Brianna Grimm runs in to return the short hop against Lake Region’s Karina Cimbarová in girls varsity tennis play on Monday. Grimm would come out on top 8-1 en route to a 5-2 team victory for the visiting Falcons. Photo by Richard Creaser

The doubles matches proved among the more competitive contests on the day. The North Country number two doubles team of Erica Tweed and Samantha Stanhope were challenged by the Lake Region pair of Juelia Bollens-Lund and Olivia McKenna, emerging on top 8-4. In the number one doubles match, Falcons Meira Buck and Hailie Lyons came out on top 8-4 against the Rangers duo of Rachelle Cotnoir and Jade Piette.

Lake Region Coach Greg Hennemuth said that he has been impressed by the strides made by the team over the season. He gave credit to former coach Laura Laramee for reviving a Ranger tennis program that never quite seemed to get off the ground in the past.

LRtennis Whipple web — Lake Region’s Sydney Whipple used a combination of hard baseline shots and timely chip shots to give Lake Region its only singles match win of the day on Tuesday against North Country’s Danielle Therrien. Photo by Richard Creaser

“She really got the girls interested and excited about tennis,” Coach Hennemuth said. “I had tried to get something going years ago, and it just never seemed to take hold.”

He said that the addition of a third court at the high school last year has allowed Lake Region to host matches after several years of playing home games at the Derby municipal courts in Derby Center.

contact Richard Creaser at [email protected]

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