NEGAUNEE — Though every match was a two-set sweep, Negaunee and Westwood showed how evenly matched they are Wednesday when the Patriots won 5-3 in a high school girls tennis match played at Negaunee.

This was a matchup of the defending Upper Peninsula champions in girls tennis, Negaunee having won the Division 1 title last fall and Westwood the Division 2 crown.

“It was nice to start the season off playing well like we did,” WHS coach Sarah Massie said. “We have quite a few girls returning from last year and they were excited to get their first match under their belts.

“Seniors Madi Koski and Tessa Leece both played a great match … at No. 1 and No. 2 singles (respectively).”

Koski carted off a 6-1, 6-2 win over Negaunee’s Lilly Nelson, while Leece pulled out a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Miners’ Jillian Skewis.

On Tuesday, Negaunee felled last year’s D-2 runner-up West Iron County with little trouble with a 7-1 win at home.

On Wednesday in another match, WIC blanked Ishpeming 8-0, though details weren’t available.

“This was a real tight match and good for both teams, I think,” NHS coach Kyle Saari said. “They have a veteran-heavy team and we battled well in places. There’s no time to be young or inexperienced in tennis, so we’ll use the rest of the week to put the work in to get better and make sure our lineup is where it needs to be.”

Negaunee got a victory at No. 3 singles where Lexi Mason prevailed over Jillian Koski, but Westwood made it three singles wins after No. 4 Jenna Wealton took down Annika Tervo.

The teams split at doubles, with the Patriots’ Ellie Miller and Meghan Johnson winning at No. 2 and Claire Gilles and Emily Nelson at No. 4, while the Miners’ Morgan Carlson and Katelyn Lammi at No. 1 and Shayla Williams and Madi Austin at No. 3 prevailing.

“Katelyn and Morgan (at No. 1 doubles) did a real nice job,” Saari said. “Their games compliment each other’s perfectly and they played at a high level.

“Shayla and Madi (at No. 3 doubles) were similar in that regard, too.”

Westwood was to play at Ishpeming this morning, followed by a home match against Iron Mountain this afternoon.

Negaunee is off until Tuesday afternoon when it also plays at Ishpeming.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.