Wildcat netters shine at ECN doubles event

• Taryn Studer

Wildcat No. 2 singles Taryn Studer returns a shot. Bob Burrows photo.

Talk about it

After struggling in a 7-0 Big Rivers Conference loss to Hudson last Tuesday, the Wildcat girls’ tennis team bounced back to win 16 of 20 matches at a doubles tournament at Eau Claire North on Saturday.

The Cats dropped six of seven matches in straight sets to the Raiders last week. The only match to go three sets was Ayana Nguyen, at No. 3 singles, who lost a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 decision to Ally Kreye.

Saturday at Eau Claire North, the Cats won seven of ten doubles matches against the host Huskies and took nine of ten against Altoona.

Five of the Wildcats’ ten doubles pairs went 2-0 on the day.

The No. 5 doubles team of Megan Shafer and Laura Covelli went undefeated, as did the No. 6 team of Taryn Studer and Georgie Shimek. Tori Forseth and Sally Cranston, at the No. 7 spot, also went 2-0 along with the No. 8 duo of Taylor Magill and Danie Wieshar and the No. 9 team of Katie O’Malley and Rheanna Steele.

The Cats No. 1 team of Meghan Erickson and Nguyen lost to Eau Claire North but came back to beat Altoona. The No. 4 team of Annie Avestruz and Kayla Garcia also went 1-1, losing to North and beating Altoona, while the No. 10 team of Amanda Hendrickson and Sarah Manche split their matches, losing to the Huskies and beating the Rails.

“The results really highlight our depth,” Wildcat coach David Markson said. “It was fun for the girls to compete well and come out on top.”

The Cats will host Menomonie in a BRC dual Thursday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m.

Tags: sports, prep, wildcats, tennis