Tuesday, the Becker girls tennis team traveled to Aitkin to take on the Gobblers in their final Granite Ridge Conference match. Aitkin 4, Becker 3. In a very competitive, close match, the Bulldogs fell to Aitkin and lost the chance to tie for the conference title. The Bulldogs needed to beat Aitkin and for Pine City to knock off Foley for there to be a three-way tie atop the division.
After the long drive to Aitkin, match play began on the Gobblers’ five courts. First on the court were the #2 doubles, #2 singles, #3 doubles, #3 singles and# 4 singles.
Becker’s Rachel Lukkarila battled in the first set at #2 singles and was down 3-4, but then got her groove back and never looked back by winning the next nine games in impressive fashion.
“Rachel is really hitting the ball well lately,” said Head Coach Nathan Bucher. “After she overcomes her mental game, she has razor sharp shots deep in the corners.”
Lukkarila won the match 6-4, 6-0 over Aitkin’s Maren Butenhoff.
Becker’s #2 doubles team, comprised of Taylor Pawlicki and Megan Nelson, were also showing their best game as they were second off the courts with a quick, two-set win.
“Megan and Taylor are both really clicking well together,” said Bucher. “They are finishing points and communicating well on the court.”
Pawlicki and Nelson knocked off Amber Kuhlman and Grace Liljenquist, 6-2, 6-1.
Becker’s #3 doubles team (Amanda Brown and Ally Kangas) and #3 singles (Ashley Souba) both battled hard but fell in straight sets. Brown and Kangas lost to Mikaela Justin and Angel Beaufaux, 6-4, 7-5 and Souba lost to Brynn Wilson, 6-3, 6-2.
Becker’s #1 doubles team was next on the court. Hannah Bengtson and Maddie Anderson played a very tough Aitken doubles team in Bethany Kinzer and Lydia Browning and lost 6-3, 6-3 in straight sets.
While these matches came and went, Becker’s #4 singles player, Anna Ritchie, dropped her first set 6-2, but battled back and won the second set 7-5. She continued her good play in the third set and came away with the 7-5 win.
“Anna is really learning how to set up points at #4 singles,” said Bucher. “She's not afraid of finishing the point.”
With the match now tied at 3-3, the contest came down the last players on the court at #1 singles. Aitken's Claire Browning has been to state in the past and is ranked high in single A. Becker’s Olivia Hultgren is the team’s best tennis player.
The two big hitters battled to a tie-break in the first set, going back-and-forth with winners and forced errors. The tiebreaker was not decided until the score was 14-12 in favor of Browning.
As the second set warmed-up, so did the lights as night and chill started falling early in the northern woods. The crowds all gathered around one court, wrapped in blankets and jackets to watch Browning and Hultgren battle for the match.
The second set was as good as the first set with Hultgren going up 5-4 at one point, but she just couldn’t close out Browning. Each of the next three games were filled with close points and eventually Browning prevailed in the end, 7-5, to clinch the match for Aitken.
“We've really been trying to concentrate on playing our best each shot and trying to improve on the things we can control,” said Bucher. We try not to worry about the outcome. We played a tough team and they capitalized on the mistakes we made.”
Foley ended up beating Pine City, 4-3 to capture first place.
Up Next
Becker hosts a seven-team tournament this weekend against teams from Foley, Little Falls, Mora, Pine City, Pierz Healy and Aitkin.
