Emily Slama

The Blue Earth Area Buccaneers tennis team struggled in three matches played at the Le Sueur/Henderson Tournament on Aug. 28, losing all three.

The Bucs lost to the host Giants in a close match, 4-3.

Blue Earth was paced with a win by Emily Slama at No. 1 singles. She won 6-0, 6-0, over Kendra Wolf. Annika Johnson defeated Chelsea Simek at No. 2 singles, 6-3, 3-6, (13-11). At No. 3 singles, Sam Hogstad also notched a hard-fought victory, defeating Emily Braun 6-3, 5-7, (14-12).

At No. 4 singles, Autumn Drake fell to Jackqueline Tousley by a score of 6-2, 6-0.

All three BEA doubles teams lost. Olivia Skaare and Jessica Skaare suffered their only loss so far this season, falling to Erin Seaver and Bailey Ploske, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 doubles.

At No. 2 doubles, Abby Nimz and Mackenzie Lein lost to Cassie Schultz and Kirsten Shaughnessy, 6-0, 6-2. Blaire Zierke and Jordan Hanevik were defeated by Liz Weiers and Emily Barnard at No. 3 doubles, 6-0, 6-4.

In the next two matches, the Bucs fell by identical 5-2 scores to Maple River, and to Holy Family.

In both matches, the Bucs only two wins came at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles.

Slama continued her perfect 4-0 season start by downing Maple River’s Sara Anderson 7-5, 6-4, then defeating Kelby Thone of Holy Family 6-1 in the first set and getting an injury default win in the second one.

The two Skaare cousins first beat Sarah Bartell and Michaela Hislop of Maple River 6-4, 6-3, then followed it up with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Holy Family’s Caroline Kellogg and Michelle Wiehoff.

The two Buc No. 1 doubles teammates are now 3-1 for the year.

Against Maple River, the Bucs No. 2 singles player Johnson fell to Steph Smith 6-1, 6-4. No. 3 singles player Hogstad lost to Josie Walters 6-3, 6-1. Drake, at No. 4 singles, was defeated by Tabitha Woitas 6-1, 6-1.

In doubles, Nimz and Lein fought a long, hard match against Amelia Malakowsky and Claire Duncan at No. 2 doubles, but lost 7-5, 1-6, 10-5. No. 3 doubles team of Zierke and Hanevik fell 6-1, 6-1, to Sam Proehl and Becca Hager.

Against Holy Family, Johnson lost 6-3, 6-4 to Isabelle Tompkins, Hogstad 6-1, 6-0 to Cortney Hallahan, and Drake 6-3, 6-4 to Meghan Markley.

Doubles players Nimz and Lein lost 6-4, 6-1 to Lexi Lynch and Adrienne Brausen, while Zierke and Hanevik lost 6-0, 6-1, to Stephanie Kierkvleit and Jessica Meriden.

This week the Bucs host Worthington on Tuesday, travel to St. James on Thursday, and go to Le Center on Saturday.

MCW 4, BEA 3

It was a close match Thursday afternoon, but the Blue Earth Area girls tennis team couldn’t quite pull out the win, and fell to Martin County West 4-3.

Buccaneer Head Coach Terry Barnes changed his line-up around, with his top player unable to play.

Annika Johnson stepped up to the No. 1 singles position, and notched a win over Lindsey Treitline, 6-0, 6-1. Johnson usually plays at the No. 2 spot.

Jessica Skaare, normally a doubles player, was at No. 2 singles and fell to Alexis Janssen, 6-0, 2-6, 6-2.

Mackenzie Lein lost at No. 3 singles to Kelci Russenberger 6-3, 6-3, and BEA’s Karleigh Wolff lost to MCW’s Shawna Dressen 6-3, 6-2.

The doubles teams fared a bit better, with Olivia Skaare and Abby Nimz of BEA teaming up at No. 1 doubles for a victory over Karen Suter and Jen Hagen, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2.

The Bucs’ Blaire Zierke and Autumn Drake were defeated by Aziley Smith and Kaleigh Russenberger at No. 3 doubles, 6-0, 6-1.

The No. 3 BEA doubles team of eighth-grader Cassidy Bartlett and seventh-grader Kaitlyn Olsen notched a win over Megan Suter and Emily Laurence, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

The loss put the Bucs season record at 0-5.