MARQUETTE — The Marquette girls won two of three matches to start off this week on the tennis courts, splitting a pair of Monday matches on the road before downing Escanaba at home on Tuesday.

Marquette is scheduled to participate in the Westwood Invitational this morning, then take a long holiday weekend before returning Wednesday afternoon for a home match against West Iron County.

Here are details from their recent matches and several others involving area teams:

Marquette splits Monday

The Sentinels were involved in a pair of close 5-3 matches, beating Kingsford at the Flivvers’ courts before heading west and losing by that same score at West Iron County.

MSHS head coach Karl Thomsen spoke about one of his doubles duos and a singles player, each of whom won both matches on the day.

“Eva Dewitt and Charlye Swajanen had two outstanding matches … and continued their strong season,” the coach said in an email detailing the results. “I have loved watching their tennis IQ and chemistry grow during this early part of the season. Days like this should give them the confidence they need as the season progresses. 

“We had an illness … in our singles lineup, so all our girls had to move up a flight. Stella Dehlin had two three-set battles and came away with two well-fought victories. I can’t say enough about her compete level and her level headedness.”

Playing at No. 3 doubles, Dewitt and Swajanen defeated Kingsford’s Macy Giseno and Natalie Bjorne 6-3, 6-1, then downed WIC’s Marlee Benson and Vivian Holm 6-2, 6-3.

At No. 2 singles, Dehlin prevailed 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 over the Flivvers’ Maddy Sleik, then upended the Wykons’ Kaycee Ingram 5-7, 6-3, 11-9.

The only other two-time winner on the day for the Sentinels was the No. 4 doubles tandem of Grace Jandreau and Brynn Helman.

Marquette 5, Kingsford 3

Monday at Kingsford

SINGLES — No. 1, Aubrie Moore (K) def. Nora Skytta 6-0, 6-0; No. 2, Stella Dehlin (M) def. Maddy Sleik 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; No. 3, Kirra Longton (M) def. Maddy Zeuske 6-1, 6-2; No. 4, Chloe Lanning (K) def. Morgan Downey 6-3, 6-1

DOUBLES — No. 1, Eva Kentala-Lola Rink (M) def. Aubree Belmore-Kylee Woodward 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; No. 2, Aalaysha Bacon-Mira Johnson (K) def. Logan McFarren-Kylie Smith 6-4, 7-6 (7-2); No. 3, Charlye Swajanen-Eva Dewitt (M) def. Macy Giseno-Natalie Bjorne 6-3, 6-1; No. 4, Grace Jandreau-Brynn Helman (M) def. Myla Beauchamp-Vetty Martin 4-6, 7-5, 10-6

W. Iron Cty. 5, Marquette 3

Monday at Iron River

SINGLES — No. 1, Grace Smith (WIC) def. Nora Skytta 6-1, 6-2; No. 2, Stella Dehlin (M) def. Kaycee Ingram 5-7, 6-3, 11-9; No. 3, Erin Kolbus (WIC) def. Kirra Longton 6-1, 6-4; No. 4, Taylor Economy (WIC) def. Morgan Downey 6-3, 6-1

DOUBLES — No. 1, Destiny Lemery-Aubrey Richardson (WIC) def. Eva Kentala-Lola Rink 6-2, 6-4; No. 2, Olivia LeMay-Julie White (WIC) def. Logan McFarren-Kylie Smith 6-3, 7-5; No. 3, Charlye Swajanen-Eva Dewitt (M) def. Marlee Benson-Vivian Holm 6-2, 6-3; No. 4, Grace Jandreau-Brynn Helman (M) def. Rochelle Bear-Maddy Cronkright 6-(unknown), 6-4

Marquette 7, Escanaba 1

On Tuesday at Marquette, the Sentinels had a bit of an easier time of it, only needing a third set once among the seven matches they won.

“I have to give a lot of credit to our Nos. 2, 3 and 4 doubles teams for finding ways to fight through the low points of their matches … but stay mentally tough until they righted the ship,” Thomsen said. “Logan McFarren and Kylie Smith got off to a really slow start, but shifted into a gear we know they are capable of playing.

“Far and away their best tennis of the year and hopefully that will propel them as we go forward.

“All four of our singles girls really hit the ball clean.

“Kirra Longton had another good day and another day of growth. She moves so well around the court and her groundstrokes continue to get stronger as she transitions into singles this season.

“I was also happy to see Marin Johnson at No. 1 singles step back into the lineup today after being down and out with a sickness the day before.”

At No. 2 doubles, McFarren and Smith dispatched the Eskymos’ Sophie Hill and Isabella Noblet 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), while Longton, playing at No. 4 singles, turned away Escanaba’s Cora Dittrick 6-0, 6-1.

Johnson also posted a 6-1, 6-3 win over Olivia Vogel at the top of singles.

The only three-setter was at No. 3 doubles, where Swajanen and Dewitt won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 over Esky’s Claire Jacobson and Hailee Cloutier.

Marquette 7, Escanaba 1

Tuesday at Marquette

SINGLES — No. 1, Marin Johnson (M) def. Olivia Vogel 6-1, 6-3; No. 2, Nora Skytta (M) def. Varrah Veeser 6-1, 6-3; No. 3, Stella Dehlin (M) def. Lily Bennetti 6-0, 6-1; No. 4, Kirra Longton (M) def. Cora Dittrick 6-0, 6-1

DOUBLES — No. 1, Aubrey Elliot-Brooklyn Hackleman (E) def. Eva Kentala-Lola Rink 6-2, 6-1; No. 2, Logan McFarren-Kylie Smith (M) def. Sophie Hill-Isabella Noblet 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); No. 3, Charlye Swajanen-Eva Dewitt (M) def. Claire Jacobsen-Hailee Cloutier 3-6, 6-4, 6-3; No. 4, Grace Jandreau-Brynn Helman (M) def. Carly Gorenchan-Kate Kievit 6-3, 5-6, retired

Westwood 8, Escanaba 0

On Tuesday at the Patriots’ courts, Westwood improved to 5-0 this young season with its Westwood Invitational today that will include Marquette, Negaunee and Menominee.

Only match — actually one set — against Esky was ever really in doubt, which was when the Pats’ No. 2 doubles pair of Makenna Olson and Ella Stacy held on for a 6-0, 7-6 (7-2) win over Sophie Hill and Isabella Noblet.

Otherwise, Westwood lost just 15 games in the other seven matches combined.

That included 6-0, 6-0 whitewashes posted by No. 2 singles player Morgan Schneider and No. 3 singles player Lyn Magnuson.

“We had a little bit of a sluggish practice on Monday, so we talked about making sure we start the matches ready to move our feet and ‘play ball,'” said WHS head coach Sarah Zindler in an email detailing the match. 

“Our No. 1 doubles team … played a very competitive match. They had a lot of moments where things weren’t going their way and they had to make adjustments.

“Those moments are important to be able to manage as we work on managing the highs and lows of matches.”

That team was Kaylin Doney and Niila Nurmi, who won 6-3, 6-2 over Esky’s Aubrey Elliott and Brooklyn Hackleman.

“Our No. 2 doubles team had to battle in the second set especially,” the coach said. “They had a lot of points where we would try to finish the point at the net and Esky would keep making us hit one more ball. This was a good opportunity to work on our angles at the net and always being ready for the ball.

“Tight matches help us get better and today I was excited to see Makenna and Ella battle through the tight moments and pull off the set without getting rattled by their mistakes.” 

She was talking about Olson and Stacy in their match featuring the tiebreaker in the second set.

Westwood 8, Escanaba 0

Tuesday at Westwood

SINGLES — No. 1, Taylor Keranen (W) def. Irene Neumeier 6-1, 6-0; No. 2, Mogan Schneider (W) def. Olivia Vogel 6-0, 6-0; No. 3, Lyn Magnuson (W) def. Varrah Veeser 6-0, 6-0; No. 4, Emmi Hamel (W) def. Lily Benetti 6-2, 6-2

DOUBLES — No. 1, Kaylin Doney-Niila Nurmi (W) def. Aubrey Elliott-Brooklyn Hackleman 6-3, 6-2; No. 2, Makenna Olson-Ella Stacy (W) def. Sophie Hill-Isabella Noblet 6-0, 7-6 (7-2); No. 3, Tessa Burke-Emmi Carlson (W) def. Hailee Cloutier-Claire Jacobsen 6-0, 6-3; No. 4, Emerson Williams-Lauren Richards (W) def. Carly Govenchan-Katie Kievit 6-0, 6-2

Story contents based on email received from several area high school tennis coaches. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.