Only one of the singles matches went three sets. At No. 4 singles, the Patriots’ Morgan Schneider won the first set, but the Miners’ Madalynn Peters came back to take a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory.

“I think we did all right,” Westwood coach Sarah Massie said. “It’s our second match of the season … so there’s still adjusting…. We had a lot of close matches and long matches.”

At No. 1 singles, Negaunee’s Aubrey Johnson defeated Lexi Olson 7-5, 6-2.

“The biggest thing early in the season that you hope carries over is just consistency … in the way you prepare for a match, how you go about playing the points and how you go about adversity, too, that’s a big thing,” said Negaunee coach Kyle Saari. “One example, Aubrey Johnson, at (No.) 1 singles. She was down early and she was able to fight back. She is just somebody who’s really gritty and we know exactly what we’re going to get out of her.”

Westwood No. 1 singles player Lexi Olson makes a return during a high school girls tennis match played at Negaunee on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (Journal photo by Alexandria Bournonville)

Negaunee’s Lili Saunders won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 singles against Sami Ruby. The Miners’ Rheana Nelson won against Emersyn Nelson at No. 3 singles 7-6 (7-5), 6-0.

“Rheana Nelson today was a little sluggish to start,” Saari said. “She was down 4-1 in her (first) set — and she, last year, had some three-hour matches at (No.) 3 singles, too, and that’s the fight she’s at this year. Again, she never put her head down, she continued to fight and she won her first set and then kinda cruised through her second set and that was encouraging to see.”

In doubles, the No. 4 duo of Halle Palomaki and Emma Wills of Negaunee won 6-4, 6-3 against their determined opponents, Taylor Jackovich and Berkley Richards.

Something similar happened at No. 1, with Kallen Schultz and Maddie Frustaglio dethroning Izzie Marta and Alyssa Couveau 6-0, 7-6 (8-6).

In the other two doubles matches, Negaunee zipped through with relative ease. At No. 2, the Miners’ Olivia Lunseth and Sage Juntti took a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Westwood’s Nolia Dawson and Kaylin Doney. In another decisive win, No. 3 Autumn Ring and Paityn Brunette scored a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Eliisa Doney and Niila Nurmi.

“Morgan Schneider (at No.) 4 singles today played three sets and lost and (No.) 3 singles lost in a timebreaker in the first set,” Massie said. “(No.) 1 doubles, I think, played a tiebreaker, too, so we have a lot of close matches. They can see how close they are if they want to be on top versus suffering the close loss.”

The first two matches being wins — including another 8-0 home win against West Iron County on Monday — are proving to be another strong start for the Miners.

Alexandria Bournonville can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 506. Her email address is abournonville@miningjournal.net.