MARQUETTE — Marquette handed Negaunee its first loss of the season, and possibly first regular-season loss in several years, during a high school boys tennis meet held at the Sentinels’ courts on Wednesday.

A look at past records turned to the spring of 2022 for the Miners’ last dual-meet loss.

On Wednesday, Marquette prevailed 6-2, winning three of the four flights at both singles and doubles.

“For being such a bizarre spring … there was a lot of good tennis played (Wednesday),” MSHS head coach Karl Thomsen said in an email detailing the meet. “We talked about the need to get off to a fast start … and nobody did that better than Brady Janofski.”

Playing at No. 3 singles, Janofski scored a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Negaunee’s Easton Alkire.

“Brady hit the ball super clean … and a lot of that is because of how well he moved his feet,” Thomsen said.

“Marquette’s experience really showed and made a difference in every tight match,” Miners head coach Kyle Saari said after his team fell to 5-1 in his email also detailing the meet.

He was pleased with the Miners’ lone win in doubles at No. 1 as Easton Guenette and Nolan O’Dovero prevailed 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 over the Sentinels’ Abe Kentala and Connor Stade.

“Every doubles match had some moments that tested each side, and to be successful in those, balls have to stay deep in the court and (players need to) be aggressive at the net,” Saari said. “Easton and Nolan continue to give us that. They’re our most improved from last year, and it kind of naturally happens when you jump to the top of the lineup.”

He also singled out his singles winner, No. 2 Ethan Harris, for a 6-1, 6-2 win over Marquette’s Caden Laurn.

“Ethan was extremely confident … and he looked in control,” Saari said. “We know which areas will be crucial to grow in and have to take a leap each time on the court to close the gap later.”

For his part, Thomsen was particularly pleased with the play of his No. 2 doubles tandem of Lucas Belkowski and Conner Henry, who won 5-7, 6-0, 6-1 over the Miners’ Carson Lajimodiere and Quinn Walters, along with the No. 4 doubles pairing of Billy Krebs and Cam Mileski, who prevailed 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 over Negaunee’s Jhon Jarvi and Kolten Store.

“I’m real proud of our No. 2 and No. 4 doubles teams and how they responded after dropping a set,” Thomsen said. “All four of these guys showed some maturity by using their down set as fuel to up their level of play.”

With Negaunee attending the Kingsford Invitational on Saturday morning, both squads get back into dual-meet action on the road Monday. Marquette goes to Escanaba while Negaunee will be at Westwood, both meets slated to start at 4 p.m.

Box score:

Marquette 6, Negaunee 2

Wednesday at Marquette

SINGLES — No. 1, Chase Thomsen (M) def. Brady Johnson 6-3, 6-1; No. 2, Ethan Harris (N) def. Caden Laurn 6-2, 6-1; No. 3, Brady Janofski (M) def. Easton Alkire 6-2, 6-1; No. 4, Elan Chu (M) def. Max Larson 6-0, 6-3

DOUBLES — No. 1, Easton Guenette-Nolan O’Dovero (N) def. Abe Kentala-Connor Stade 7-6 (7-4), 6-4; No. 2, Lucas Belkowski-Conner Henry (M) def. Carson Lajimodiere-Quinn Walters 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; No. 3, Winston Leonard-Connor Dunn (M) def. Eli Cody-Hank Tincknell 6-4, 6-4; No. 4, Billy Krebs-Cam Mileski (M) def. Jhon Jarvi-Kolten Store 7-6, 2-6, 6-2

Story contents based on emails received from Marquette head coach Karl Thomsen and Negaunee head coach Kyle Saari. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.