Bitter-sweet ending to girls tennis season

The Clear Lake girls tennis team ended its season Thursday, May 19, on a bitter-sweet note.  The doubles teams of Kiersten Baalson and Gretchen Jones and Reagan Brackey and Chloe Mueller placed third and fourth respectively out of 16 teams in Regional competition held in Waverly. Both teams missed out on State Tournament bids, losing by narrow margins to seeded Decorah teams.

Playing number one doubles with a 6-2 season record, Baalson and Jones received the number two seed, but first had to overcome a difficult, unranked Waverly team.  With consistent play and determination, they defeated Krissie Weir and Maddie Overmann, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 to move to the second round.  Baalson and Jones kept up their momentum to easily defeat Osage’s Ann Marie Milbrandt and Sarah Jenkins 6-1, 6-0, before facing the number three seeded senior Decorah team of Anna Spencer and Annika Krieg in the semi-finals.

After a difficult 0-6 first set, Clear Lake made adjustments to come back 6-4 in the second to force the third set.  Down 1-4 in the third, the Lions clawed their way back to tie 4-4 before finally giving up the few points needed to go on.

“The girls played their hearts out today.  They gave their all until the last ball was hit, just as they have all season,” said Coach Mary Jo Peterson.

The team of Brackey and Mueller, a senior and a sophomore, found similar success.  Coming in as the number four seed with a 6-2 record, the Lions defeated Iowa Falls’ Paige Brunsen and Annika Koppes, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) to move on to another close match.  Brackey and Mueller played smart and aggressive tennis to outlast Dike-New Hartford 7-5, 6-3, moving them also into semi-final action with number one seeded Kelsey Kruse and Katelyn Yee, of Decorah.  Decorah’s aggressive net play was too much for the Lions though, as they outpaced them, 6-2, 6-0.

“This doubles team has steadily improved all season to get to this point.  The leadership of senior Reagan Brackey will definitely be missed,” said Coach Peterson.

Both Clear Lake teams had to finish their season playing each other for the runner-up third and fourth spots.  For their fourth match of the day, Baalson and Jones defeated Brackey and Mueller, 6-2, 6-3.

In singles action, senior Maddy Brant and junior Ali Witt also competed on Thursday.  Brant, who had some big wins toward the end of the season, unfortunately couldn’t hold off Iowa Falls player Allie Sheridan, who won 6-4, 6-1.

“Maddy has been a great co-captain and role model with a successful season,” said Peterson.

Witt also met the number four seed in Regional competition.  Even though she was defeated 6-1, 6-0, by Osage’s number one player and semi-finalist Klaire Chisholm, the score didn’t reflect the level of play and deuce games.

“Ali has worked hard this season and has become a key player in the line-up,” said Coach Peterson.