MARQUETTE — Negaunee has bounced back from a season-opening loss to Westwood to record three victories in a row, the latest a pair of 8-0 shutouts in Gladstone on Friday.

The Miners defeated both the hometown team Braves and also Menominee in those whitewashes, not dropping a set in a total of 16 matches.

“(We) had a great showing … bouncing back from a tough loss to Westwood on Wednesday,” NHS head coach Megan Kerkela said. “Addi Chapman had a fantastic day at (No.) 4 singles, being the only player to not give up a game in either match.”

Against Gladstone, only one match was even relatively close, with Negaunee’s Nicole Kerkela and Clare O’Donnell prevailing 6-1, 7-5 over the Braves’ Lily Ketcham and Makenzie Nelson.

In the other seven matches combined, the Miners lost a total of five games, including 6-0, 6-0 whitewashes posted in singles by No. 1 Lili Saunders, No. 2 Stella Lenten and Chapman, along with the No. 4 doubles tandem of Paige O’Donnell and Jillian Symons.

The Menominee meet was much the same, the Miners losing a total of just 17 games in eight matches, including 6-0, 6-0 whitewashes posted by Lenten and Chapman.

Negaunee 8, Gladstone 0

Friday at Gladstone

SINGLES — No. 1, Lili Saunders (N) def. Carly Maki 6-0, 6-0; No. 2, Rheana Nelson (N) def. Alexis Burch 6-0, 6-0; No. 3, Stella Lenten (N) def. Tati Martinez 6-1, 6-1; No. 4, Addi Chapman (N) def. Olivia Burch 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES — No. 1, Nicole Kerkela-Clare O’Donnell (N) def. Lily Ketcham-Makenzie Nelson 6-1, 7-5; No. 2, Olivia Richards-Sadie Rogers (N) def. Lola Vargo-Ella Howes 6-1, 6-1; No. 3, Rebecca Lammi-Tori Poutanen (N) def. Elle Mathias-Miranda Drielick 6-0, 6-1; No. 4, Paige O’Donnell-Jillian Symons (N) def. Bree Wetthuhn-Taylor Hastings 6 -0, 6-0

Negaunee 8, Menominee 0

Friday at Gladstone

SINGLES — No. 1, Lili Saunders (N) def. Elena Murphy 6-1, 6-2; No. 2, Rheana Nelson (N) def. Delaney Wagner 6-2, 6-0; No. 3, Stella Lenten (N) def. Madelyn Mosy 6-0, 6-0; No. 4, Addi Chapman (N) def. Kaitlin Merrill 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES — No. 1, Nicole Kerkela-Clare O’Donnell (N) def. Ella Berker-Bianca Kurtz 6-1, 6-2; No. 2, Olivia Richards-Sadie Rogers (N) def. Brianna Ary-Emily Schueftplz 6-3, 6-1; No. 3, Rebecca Lammi-Tori Poutanen (N) def. Lily Kamic-Madelyn Christianson 6-1, 6-1; No. 4, Paige O’Donnell-Jillian Symons (N) def. Ella (last name unavailable)-Asya Mayhand 6-2, 6-1

Westwood 7, West Iron Cty. 1

On Friday at Westwood, easily the closest match was the only one the Patriots didn’t win at No. 4 doubles, where the Wykons’ Maddy Cronkright and Rochelle Bear pulled out a 7-5, 6-4 win over Westwood’s Taylor Keranen and Samiah LaFreniere.

“We played a lot of tennis this week with four matches in the last three days,” Patriots coach Sarah Zindler said in an email after this match. “I’m happy with how the girls have played and adjusted to different scenarios over the last few days.”

She was particularly pleased with her No. 3 doubles pair of Emmi Carlson and Tess Burke, who won 6-0, 6-1 over WIC’s Marlee Benson and Vivian Holm.

“Tessa and Emmi at No. 3 doubles played a great match,” Zindler said. “We’ve been talking a lot about court position and movement in doubles this week.

“Being freshman, they have absorbed a lot of new information this week. I’m impressed with how much they’ve grown and figured things out in just a few days. It can be tough to start your season with four matches in three days and no practice to make adjustments.

“It’s especially difficult when you’re fairly new to the sport like these two are. I’m excited to see how they continue to progress throughout the season.”

And none of her four singles players lost more than three games in two-set sweeps of their matches — No. 1 Sami Ruby, No. 2 Morgan Schneider, No. 3 Lyn Magnuson and No. 4 Emmi Hamel. 

“Our singles lineup has all been finding their groove this week,” the coach said. “It’s exciting to see girls make adjustments on their own during a match and to be able to reflect after a match on what they want to adjust.

“Sami, Morgan, Lyn and Emmi have been great competitors and mentally tough all week. It’s fun to see them see success from that.”

This week, the Patriots have dual meets with Escanaba and Kingsford before hosting its own Westwood Invitational on Thursday morning that will include Marquette, Negaunee and Menominee.

Westwood 7, WIC 1

Friday at Westwood

SINGLES — No. 1, Sami Ruby (WWD) def. Grace Smith 6-0, 6-1; No. 2, Morgan Schneider (WWD) def. Kaycee Ingram 6-2, 6-1; No. 3, Lyn Magnuson (WWD) def. Erin Kolbas 6-1, 6-1; No. 4, Emmi Hamel (WWD) def. Taylor Economy 6-0, 6-2

DOUBLES — No. 1, Kaylin Doney-Niila Nurmi (WWD) def. Destiny Lemery-Aubrey Richardson 6-4, 6-1; No. 2, Makenna Olson-Lauren Michaud-Richards (WWD) def. Olivia LaMay-Julie White 6-2, 6-3; No. 3, Emmi Carlson-Tessa Burke (WWD) def. Marlee Benson-Vivian Holm 6-0, 6-1; No. 4, Maddy Cronkright-Rochelle Bear (WIC) def. Taylor Keranen-Samiah LaFreniere 7-5, 6-4

Marquette 8, Gladstone 0

On Thursday at Gladstone, the Sentinels were tested in the top two flights of doubles, both Nos. 1 and 2 going three sets, while Marquette lost a total of just a dozen games between the other six flights.

At No. 1 doubles, the Sentinels’ Eva Kentala and Lola Rink prevailed 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 over the Braves’ Lilli Ketchum and MaKenzie (no last name available), while at No. 2 doubles, MSHS’ Logan McFarren and Kylie Smith came out with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Gladstone’s Lola Vargo and Ella Howes.

Head coach Karl Thomsen was quite pleased with some of his younger players.

“Grace Jandreau and Brynn Helman (at No. 4 doubles) had their second varsity start … against Gladstone and showed a lot maturity by shaking off a nervous start,” Thomsen said of their 6-1, 6-2 win. “I thought once they remembered it’s a tennis court just like we have in Marquette, they did a great job executing the game plan.

“At No. 3 singles, Stella Dehlin got to display her growth as a tennis player against a tough opponent in Tati Martinez. Stella did a good job of hitting both her forehand and backhand to big targets to move her opponent around the court.”

Dehlin won 6-3, 6-2.

Marquette 8, Gladstone 0

Thursday at Gladstone

SINGLES — No. 1, Marin Johnson (M) def. Carly Maki 6-0, 6-0; No. 2, Nora Skytta (M) def. Alexis Burch 6-0, 6-0; No. 3, Stella Dehlin (M) def. Tati Martinez 6-3, 6-2; No. 4, Kira Longton (M) def. Jersi Gordon 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES — No. 1, Eva Kentala-Lola Rink (M) def. Lilli Ketchum-MaKenzie (no last name available) 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3; No. 2, Logan McFarren-Kylie Smith (M) def. Lola Vargo-Ella Howes 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; No. 3, Charylee Swajanen-Eva Dewitt (M) def. Miranda Drielick-Elenore Mathias 6-1, 6-2; No. 4, Grace Jandreau-Brynn Helman (M) def. Brihana Wethum-Taylor Hastings 6-3, 6-1

Marquette 7, Menominee 1

Later Thursday at Menominee, Thomsen was happy about the play of his No. 2 doubles duo.

“The team of Logan McFarren and Kylie Smith upped their level of play during the Menominee meet,” the coach said. “They had some loose points and games earlier on in the day against Gladstone, but put more balls in play and moved better in their second match.

“Knowing what they are capable of, it was good to see them get going on that track.”

He also had good comments about his No. 2 singles player.

“Nora Skytta had another solid performance against a quality opponent,” Thomsen said. “Her feet were a key component in her victory. As the match progressed, she did an excellent job of maintaining bounce in her step and tracking balls down.”

Marquette 7, Menominee 1

Thursday at Menominee

SINGLES — No. 1, Elena Murphy (MEN) defe. Marin Johnson 6-1, 6-1; No. 2, Nora Skytta (MQT) def. Delaney Wagner 6-4, 6-4; No. 3, Stella Dehlin (MQT) def. Madlyn Mosey 6-0, 6-1; No. 4, Kira Longton (MQT) def. Maddie Christensen 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES — No. 1, Eva Kentala-Lola Rink (MQT) def. Ella Barker-Bianca Kurtz 7-6 (8-6), 6-3; No. 2, Logan McFarren-Kylie Smith (MQT) def. Brianna Ary-Lilly Kamin 6-3, 6-3; No. 3, Charylee Swajanen-Eva Dewitt (MQT) def. Ella Chouinard-Asia Myhand 6-4, 6-2; No. 4, Grace Jandreau-Brynn Helman (MQT) def. Hailey Sweety-Olivia Person 6-0, 6-0

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