The Medical Lake girls’ tennis team’s undefeated week has vaulted them into the lead in the Northeast A League.
“This was a huge week for Lady Cardinal tennis,” head coach Dawn Eliassen said. “Holy cow, three league matches, three league wins.”
Those victories came 5-0 over Lakeside, 4-1 versus Chewelah and 4-1 at Freeman last Saturday. Medical Lake is now 4-0 in the NEA with a one-game lead over Chewelah.
Monday at home versus Lakeside, the Cards had to battle from behind most of the day. “Of the first four matches, we lost the first set in three of them (one in a tiebreak),” Eliassen said. “Then we came back and won the second set of each in tiebreaks, then held on to win all of them.”
Wins came from Katie Larkin at No. 1 singles, No. 2 Rachel Hansen and Mary Lewan in No. 3 singles. Annette Carlson and Amy Ryan scored a win in No. 1 doubles as did Katelynn Hougher and Alyssa Fitzgerald at No. 2.
”Tiebreaks in four out of five matches is too much stress for me,” Eliassen said.
Last Tuesday at home versus Chewelah, Eliassen admitted concern prior to the match. ”I was pretty worried about the outcome of this match,” Eliassen said. “They beat us 4-1 at the beginning of the season,” in a non-league match.
ML got wins from Larkin, Hansen and Becky Nix on the singles side, plus a new No. 2 doubles team of Hougher and Lewan.
“Saturday we won at Freeman in crazy wind,” Eliassen said. After dropping No. 1 singles the Cardinals won their next four. Hansen and Nix scored singles’ wins. Wins from the doubles teams of Lewan and Hougher as well as Ryan and Carlson wrapped up the win.
Eliassen certainly meant what she said about the stressful tiebreakers. “Seriously, I can't handle any more tiebreaks,” she said. “I actually quit watching and hid on the bus during the third set of Becky's (Nix) match and the second of Amy (Carlson) and Annette's (Ryan).”
Medical Lake’s girls and boys will take part in the Inland Empire Tournament this Friday and Saturday at courts across the area.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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