Raiders tennis gets revenge on Ponies

Last season, the Hastings girls tennis team had what most people would consider a very strong season.

But throughout the season, it seemed like whenever there was a really close Suburban East Conference match, the victory went to the opponent. There were some very close losses, and the team vowed this season to not let history repeat itself.

Evidence of this could be found in last week’s match against Stillwater. Hastings beat Stillwater this year, 5-2.

“Everyone from last year’s team is back, and they all remember that match from last year,” head coach Craig Raway said. “Everyone is a year more experienced, and that pays off, especially in close matches. We’ve seen Stillwater before, and the girls know what it is like to be on the other end of the score. That gave them a little more motivation.”

Hastings’ Lindsey Reinisch lost at first singles, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Kirsten Peterson fell at second singles, 6-4, 6-4.

Morgan Tjomsland earned a 6-3, 6-1 win.

“Morgan played really well,” Raway said. “She’s starting to look a little more fearless than she was earlier in the year.

Hailey Lundquist won 6-1, 6-2 at fourth singles.

“Hailey played really well, too,” Raway said. “She’s been pretty much a rock for us there at fourth singles. She’s playing better and better as the season goes on.”

In doubles play, the No. 1 team of Shanna Burgmeier and Erika Nielsen eked out a close first-set win, 7-5, before dominating the second set en route to the victory, 6-0.

The No. 2 doubles team of Ashley Addison and Gina Dabruzzi won a close match, 6-4, 6-4.

Jessica Wassink and Hannah Carlson won a very close match at third doubles, 7-5, 7-5.

Wassink and Carlson trailed in the second set before rallying for the victory.

“They struggled at times, but they pulled it out,” Raway said. “They played really well to end the match.”

Hastings improved to 4-1 in conference action with the win.

Eagan tournament

Hastings opened play with a rough 5-2 loss to Winona at the first round of the Eagan tournament over the weekend.

“We had been playing well for two weeks,” Raway said. “There was definitely a letdown in that first round. They just came and outworked us. They wanted it more and they came out and beat us.”

Reinisch won at first singles, 6-2, 7-6.

Peterson lost at second singles, 6-4, 6-2.

Tjomsland lost at third singles, 6-3, 6-0.

Lundquist lost at fourth singles, 6-4, 6-0.

Burgmeier and Nielsen won at first doubles, 6-2, 6-2.

Addison and Dabruzzi fell, 7-5, 7-5.

Wassink and Carlson lost 6-2, 4-6, 0-1.

The Raiders rebounded with a very strong match against New Ulm, winning 7-0.

Reinisch won 6-0, 6-1.

Peterson won 4-6, 6-4, 1-0.

The tiebreaker went to 14-12.

“Their second singles player is a good player,” Raway said. “She was a good, hard hitter. Kirsten, she fought through, got the second set and she pulled it out.”

Tjomsland won 6-0, 6-0.

Carlson won 6-4, 6-0.

In doubles, Burgmeier and Nielsen won 6-2, 6-1.

Dabruzzi and Addison cruised at second doubles, 6-1, 6-0.

Lundquist and Wassink didn’t surrender a game, winning 6-0, 6-0.

The third match of the day put the Raiders up against a strong team from Eagan. The Wildcats won, 5-2. They are the state’s No. 10 ranked team.

Reinisch lost at first singles, 6-0, 6-0.

Peterson fell at second singles, 6-2, 6-0.

Tjomsland fell, 6-3, 6-2.

Lundquist won at fourth singles, 6-2, 6-2.

In doubles, the lone win came at the No. 1 spot, as Burgmeier and Nielsen won 6-3, 6-3.

“They have clicked really well all year,” Raway said. “They’re very fun to watch. They’re very loose. When they stay loose like that, they’re a tough team to beat.”

Addison and Dabruzzi fell at second doubles, 7-5, 6-1.

Wassink and Carlson lost 6-4, 7-6.

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