The Becker Bulldog girls tennis team went 1-3 this week in matches against Thief River Falls, Monticello, Willmar and Foley.

 

All 10 Bulldog players (including three doubles teams) lost in straight sets to Thief River Falls opponents last Friday at home.

 

Junior Taylor Pawlicki lost 6-1, 6-0 at #1 singles; freshman Anna Ritchie lost 6-2, 6-0 at #2 singles; junior Blair Pappenfus lost 6-1, 6-0 at #3 singles and eighth-grader Courtney Nuest lost 6-0, 6-3 at #4 singles.

 

The duo of sophomores Megan Nelson and Hannah Bengtson lost 6-0, 6-3 at #1 doubles; sophomore Ally Kangas and junior Payton Bernstrom lost 6-1, 6-4 at #2 doubles and junior Emily Kotten and eighth-grader Alayna Lindquist lost 6-2, 7-5 at #3 doubles.

 

“The girls have been learning a lot in the matches against tough opponents,” said Head Coach Nathan Bucher. “Thief River Falls is a very athletic team that gets everything back.

 

Saturday, Becker traveled to Monticello to play ina tournament and escaped with a one-point win.

 

“We played a different line-up and the girls played some of their best tennis against Monticello and won some hard fought matches,” said Bucher.

 

Pawlicki lost to Taylor Arthur, 7-5, 6-1 at #1 singles. Ritchie lost her match to Jenna Dockendorf, 7-5, 6-2 at #2 singles. Becker’s first win came from Bengtson, who played at #3 singles and beat Monticello’s Grace Schillewaert, 6-2, 6-3. Eighth-grader Julia Bengtson (Hannah’s younger sister) beat Brooke Haag at #4 singles, 7-5, 6-4.

 

At #1 doubles, Bucher teamed up Nelson with Bernstrom and they beat Chloe Leach and Lexi Dockendorf of Monticello by a 7-5, 6-3 score. Kangas and Nuest teamed up at #2 doubles, but lost their match in three sets to Rae Ann Michel and Hannah LoVold, 6-3, 3-6, 9-11.

 

Kotten and Lindquist gave Becker the win by beating Hannah Daniels and Gina Bourgeois at #3 doubles, 6-2, 7-5.

 

“Willmar is going to be a tough team this year in our section,” said Bucher. “They have quite a few returners in their top positions.”

 

The Bulldogs played Willmar  at Monticello Saturday.

 

 Pawlicki was swept at #1 singles by Cayle Hoveland, 6-0, 6-0. Ritchie lost to Elise Bierbaum at #2 singles, 6-3, 6-1. Nuest played at #3 singles and lost to Lydia Morrell, 6-1, 6-1 and senior Abbey Robinson was given a shot at #4 singles but lost to Jordyn Swoboda, 6-0, 6-1.

 

Nelson and H. Bengtson re-teamed up at #1 doubles and gave Becker their lone win in the match. They beat Amanda Zuickma and Kirah Kesston-Gross, 6-3, 4-6, 10-7.

 

Kangas and Bernstrom lost to Ashley Phnac and Chloe Haugen, 6-4, 6-1 at #2 doubles and Kotten and Lindquist lost to Kya Egge and MaKenna Hogan, 6-3, 7-5 at #3 doubles.

 

Foley traveled to Becker Tuesday to take on the Bulldogs on their home court and swept each match.

 

Pawlicki lost to Kayla McIver (6-0, 6-0), Ritchie lost to Kylee Funk (6-2, 6-3), Pappenfus lost to Livia Wells (6-3, 6-2 and Nuest lost to Kylee Frisbie (6-1, 6-1) in singles play.

 

Nelson and H. Bengtson lost to Peyton Kopel and Maddie Gorecki (7-6, 6-2, 10-7), Kangas and Bernstrom lost to Hailey Kurtz and Kate Corrigan (6-0, 6-1) and Kotten and Lindquist lost to Daul Rueckert and Maggie Kipka (6-3, 7-5, 7-5) in doubles play.

 

“Foley is also looking quite strong in the Granite Ridge Conference with their top players returning and playing very well,” said Bucher. “This match was close in quite a few positions and could have easily gone 2-5 or when we're playing at our top level we could maybe squeeze a 4-3 win.”

 

The Bulldogs play in a tournament at Buffalo this weekend, then return home for a match against Pierz Tuesday. They complete the week of play with a match at Pine City Thursday.