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NEGAUNEE -- Maybe it wasn't the gales of November that Gordon Lightfoot so eloquently sung about in "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," but some wind on Wednesday afternoon presented a challenge to the Negaunee High School girls tennis team.
The Miners prevailed, however, blanking Ishpeming 7-0 as Negaunee lost just one set.
"Today was the first day we had to play with some wind," NHS head coach Megan Kerkela said in an email detailing the meet. "The girls had to adjust and move their feet more than normal, and I was happy with how quickly they adapted to the conditions. Across the board we played really well."
The lone set lost by Negaunee, now with a 7-1 record, came at No. 1 singles, where the Miners' Stella Lenten still prevailed over the Hematites' Sophia Nerlfi, 1-6, 6-1, 6-0.
"Stella had a rough first set and struggled to find her rhythm," Kerkela said. "However, the second and third sets she settled into her game and only gave up one game between the two sets."
She was also happy with how Katie Carlson made a quick move from singles to doubles when a teammate fell ill.
"I was ... impressed with Katie Carlson's adaptability," the coach said. "With a last-minute illness at (No.) 4 doubles, Katie made the move from (No.) 4 singles and dominated with her partner Emme Niemi."
If she hadn't made the move, Carlson's original No. 4 singles match wouldn't have been played as Ishpeming didn't have an entrant at that flight.
Instead, Carlson teamed up with Niemi for a 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 4 doubles over the Hematites' Anja Laitinen and Rachel Ricketts.
In the other five matches, Negaunee lost a total of 14 games.
After a home match against Iron Mountain on Thursday afternoon, the Miners stay home to host Marquette at 3:30 p.m. Monday and Munising at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Ishpeming, which currently doesn't have its own courts available due to repairs and construction this fall, goes to Gwinn at 4 p.m. Monday for a match originally scheduled for earlier this week. The Hematites also head to Iron Mountain at 2 p.m. EDT Thursday.
Marquette 6, Gladstone 2
On Wednesday at Marquette, the Sentinels swept all four doubles flights while splitting at singles.
"We had a couple of rainouts, so I feel like we have been off the courts for awhile," MSHS head coach Karl Thomsen said in an email detailing the result. "Our doubles teams played very efficiently."
Each of those duos won in straight sets, dropping 16 games total between the four flights.
That included Charlye Swajanen and Eva Dewitt winning at No. 2 doubles, 6-4, 6-3 over Gladstone's Eleanore Mathias and MacKenzie Nelson.
"Eva Dewitt and Charlye Swajanen hit the ball super clean in the second set," Thomsen said. "Both girls really complemented each other ... with their groundstrokes enabling balls to be cleaned up at the net."
He was also pleased with the play of Stella Dehlin at No. 1 singles, who took a 6-1, 6-2 victory over the Braves' Carly Maki. Marquette's other singles win was by No. 4 Sydney Kuhl.
"Stella Dehlin showed no signs of rust at No. 1 singles," her coach said. "In fact, I think she must be watching some (of the) U.S. Open, because the way she constructed points today was next level.
"We are two weeks from tournament time, so I love the fact that Stella is gutsy enough to go out and try different things," Thomsen said about the Great Northern Conference meet set for Sept. 23 in Marquette and the U.P. Finals a week later. "Having more tools in the belt is always a good thing come tournament time."
Even in its two losses, the Sentinels pushed each of those matches to three sets by No. 2 singles player Kirra Longtine and No. 3 singles Nora Skytta.
The Sentinels play at Negaunee on Monday afternoon, then host Westwood on Wednesday and Menominee on Thursday.
Negaunee 7, Ishpeming 0
Wednesday at Negaunee
SINGLES -- No. 1, Stella Lenten (N) def. Sophia Nerlfi 1-6, 6-1, 6-0; No. 2, Addie Chapman (N) def. Frankie Stetson 6-2, 6-2; No. 3, Lucy Rogers (N) def. Camryn Miller 6-1, 6-1; No. 4, double forfeit
DOUBLES -- No. 1, Paige O'Donnell-Olivia Richards (N) def. Stella Nerlfi-Charlee Fredy 6-3, 6-0; No. 2, Maia Brunette-Aubrey Harper (N) def. Sophie Mahoski-Melanie Seelen 6-2, 6-1; No. 3, Bree Helppi-Audrey Hahn (N) def. Camby Gauthier-Callie Nelson 6-1, 6-1; No. 4, Emme Niemi-Katie Carlson (N) def. Anja Laitinen-Rachel Ricketts 6-0, 6-1
Marquette 6, Gladstone 2
Wednesday at Marquette
SINGLES -- No. 1, Stella Dehlin (M) def. Carly Maki 6-1, 6-2; No. 2, Madison Sundquist (G) def. Kirra Longtine 6-3, 3-6, 7-5; No. 3, Lilly Ketchum (G) def Nora Skytta 2-6, 6-1, 6-4; No. 4, Sydney Kuhl (M) def. Aylah Seder 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES -- No. 1, Eva Kentala-Charlotte Thomsen (M) def. Ella Howes-Lola Vargo 6-1, 6-1; No. 2, Charlye Swajanen-Eva Dewitt (M) def. Eleanore Mathias-MacKenzie Nelson 6-4, 6-3; No. 3, Lola Rink-Morgan Downey (M) def. Tati Martinez-Caitlin Winkler 6-1, 6-4; No. 4, Grace Jandreau-Bryn Helman (M) def. Miranda Drielich-Reese Lovell 6-0, 6-2
Story contents based on emails received from Negaunee tennis coach Megan Kerkela and Marquette coach Karl Thomsen. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.