TAMA - Four new NICL opponents up, four down.
The South Tama girls' tennis team continued its run through its new conference after a 7-2 victory against Dike-New Hartford on Monday.
It's the back end of the dual schedule that figures to be the test for the Trojans, now winners of five straight to hit 6-1 for the season and 4-0 in the NICL. That started Monday night on the renovated courts at STC against the defending conference champion Wolverines.
Article Photos
T-R PHOTO BY MARK PAWLAK
South Tama County senior Kendra Bradley makes a forehand return during No. 1 doubles play in the Trojans’ dual meet against Dike-New Hartford on Monday in Tama.
"This is the part of the schedule that is going to be the tougher part of the NICL," said STC head coach Steve Bearden. "It was good to get in here and get a win. I felt like we gelled in doubles today really well. That was good to see."
After having not played since the previous Monday, the Trojans started slow before picking it up and claimed four wins in singles - No. 1 Kendra Bradley (10-2), No. 2 Emily Martin (10-7), No. 3 Madison Baack (10-7) and No. 5 Sierra Old Bear (10-3).
"They picked it up. We were behind in singles in quite a few matches," Bearden said. "We fought our way back in, got it to even and they got ahead."
Fact Box
South Tama 7, Dike-New Hartford 2
Singles
Kendra Bradley (STC) def. Morgan Samec, 10-2
Emily Martin (STC) def. Emily Dwyer, 10-7
Madison Baack (STC) def. Alivia Zubrod, 10-7
Danae Dieken (DNH) def. Sarah Holtz, 10-4
Sierra Old Bear (STC) def. Lexi Schmitz, 10-3
Tessa Dahl (DNH) def. Tori Appelgate, 10-8
Doubles
Bradley and Holtz (STC) def. Samec and Schmitz, 10-6
Martin and Baack (STC) def. Dwyer and Zubrod, 10-1
Old Bear and Appelgate (STC) def. Dieken and Dahl, 10-1
South Hardin 7, NU High 2
Singles
Christine McKenna (NU) def. Ellen Swartz, 10-4
Alesha Kadolph (SH) def. Hannah Newgren, 10-3
Margaret Creeden (NU) def. Victoria Edgerton, 10-7
Makayla Fisher (SH) def. Hannah Davis, 10-2
Brooke Rush (SH) def. Caroline Sell, 10-1
Katie Branch (SH) def. Alissa Rykert, 10-5
Doubles
Swartz and Kadolph (SH) def. McKenna and Newgren, 10-5
Rush and Edgerton (SH) def. Davis and Sell, 10-1
Fisher and Branch (SH) def. Creeden and Rykert, 10-2
Bradley's win moves the senior's season mark to 9-1.
"She's such a competitor, she knows its head-to-head and if you get a good seed at the conference meet, you'll be in better shape," Bearden said. "Each match is building your resume."
Next up for STC is a matchup with South Hardin.
"We faced them last year first round of team regionals and I thought we were very strong last year," Bearden said, "and they outplayed us that day."
South Hardin 7, NU High 2
CEDAR FALLS - The South Hardin girls' tennis team swept doubles play to take down host NU High on Monday night.
The Tigers (5-3) led 4-2 after singles play but put the win away with a doubles sweep to defeat NU High for the second time this season.
Ellen Swartz and Alesha Kadolph combined to take down Christine McKenna and Hannah Newgren, 10-5, in the No. 1 doubles spot, while the other two Tiger doubles wins were more convincing yet.
Kadolph also won at No. 2 singles along with Makayla Fisher, Brooke Rush and Katie Branch.
"It was nice to improve the score from our first meeting with NU that we won 5-4," said South Hardin head coach Scott Swartz. "Also nice to come back with a nicely played win after a rough three meets last week."
The Tigers return to NICL West play with a dual meet against South Tama.