Clear Lake girls tennis team opens strong; defeats St. Edmond, 8-1

The Clear Lake girls tennis team opened the season March 31 with a resounding 8-1 victory over St. Edmond.

Number one and two singles players Gretchen Jones and Kiersten Baalson got the Lions off to a good start with wins.  Jones, a junior, defeated Haley Ledford, 8-3, while Baalson easily topped Leah Hughes, 8-1.

Sophomore Maranda Harrison fell to Madison Tarbox in the number three singles match, 8-3.

“We were proud of her efforts, as she stepped up in a difficult position after playing in the number six position part of last year’s season,” said Coach Mary Jo Peterson.

The coach added that Chloe Mueller will hopefully be back in the Lion lineup this week after healing from an injury.

In the number four match, Ali Witt defeated Samantha Brown, 8-3.

Bailey Goldberg was down 0-4 and battled her way back to defeat Molly Lennon, 9-8 (tiebreaker 7-4).

Mikayla Brant was in control of her match and coasted to an 8-2  victory over Jacque O’berg, 8-2.

In doubles competition, Jones and Baalson bested Ledford and Highest, 8-1.  Harrison and Witt won against Tarbox and Brown, 9-7, and Goldberg and Irene Swanson, a newcomer to the line-up, won 8-5.

Junior varsity

In junior varsity action, the doubles teams of Rayanna Schaeffer and Kara Reineke, Shade Ahmedi and Lil Bergan, Kaila Savage and Jessica Theobald, and Lydia Futrell and Katelyn Pinkham, all won.